


How Rare and Beautiful

by CherryBlossomCheeseCake



Series: Aleto Men Moi Nostos [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, Minor Character Death, minor depictions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-09-25 23:29:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9851840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryBlossomCheeseCake/pseuds/CherryBlossomCheeseCake
Summary: In all fairness, Soo-Min just wanted to go home, do some homework and go to bed. But sometimes, life doesn't go our way. Thanks to some rain and a cracked skull, a high school girl finds herself thrown into a completely different world with no idea what is going on or what to do. And to top it all off, she's taken over the body of an 8 year old.





	1. Bird Song Intro

**Author's Note:**

> Just doing all I'm capable of and contributing to the minimal amount of oc fics out there with this project of mine. Aside from playing the game and watching the anime/movie, I am trying my best to get my facts correct by researching extensively when necessary. I hope you all enjoy and I don't let you down.  
> Title of story taken from the lyrics of Sleeping at Last's Saturn.  
> Follow me on tumblr @ https://cherryblossomcheesecake.tumblr.com/

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> or When Soo-Min Cracked Her Head Open

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title from Bird Song Intro by Florence + the Machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ8jg35JLLc&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z&index=1

I was tired, like always. Both school and club activities left a perpetual bone deep tiredness within me that was only drawn out further by the mental exhaustion of being an introvert and interacting with others all day. I just wanted to go home and sleep for an eternity, but there was still the daily homework load to complete.

It had been my turn to clean up after history club this week, making me the last to leave school out of the group. It had been raining all day and didn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon as I hovered in the doorway of the building, debating on making a run for it to the bus shelter down the road. I cursed my lack of umbrella before darting out into the rain with a notebook covering the top of my head.

I could have probably taken a little more care in walking down the stairs leading away from the school. My runner-clad foot landed on the step below me before shooting forward and throwing me off balance. The notebook was thrown backwards as I swung my arms to catch my balance, while my other foot slid off the step as well, sending me down onto the concrete.

Pain erupted at the back of my head and flew through my entire back as black slowly crept into my vision.

* * *

It was so cold, I fumbled around to find my blankets which I had kicked off at some point in the night. But instead of grasping my downy comforter, my hand met the cool ground beneath me, making my brown eyes open in confusion. Rather than being in the safe confines of my bedroom at home, I found myself surrounded by the hushed calm of an unfamiliar forest.

Panic began to rise in my chest as I stood on shaking legs and began stumbling through the trees around me. Everything was the same for miles, green trees and bushes that clawed at my clothes and exposed skin. Granted, my school uniform probably wasn’t fit for tearing through dense forests, my running shoe catching on a tree root and sending me to the forest floor.

Sitting back on my knees, I let out a shriek at the sight of an animal. The thing was small, like a cat, with large ears and a long tail, covered in white fur, with a weird red horn on it’s head. I stared wide-eyed at it as it looked at me, placing a cell phone of all things in front of me. I just looked between the thing and the cell phone before the animal gave a ‘yip’ and the phone went off.

I slowly picked the phone up and turned the screen on to view the message.  
‘Hello, can you read this?’ I tilted my head slightly, weirded out by the random message before another popped up on the screen, ‘In front of you!’

My brown gaze immediately moved from the screen to the animal before me, staring at it in surprise.

“Uh, you?” I questioned quietly, hoping I wasn’t losing my mind in some hospital somewhere, high on meds or something.

‘Yes! Welcome to the world of your dreams!’ was the response that popped up before the little white thing began running along a path through the forest.

“Wait!” I shouted, taking off after it down the path.

The forest path opened up to travel between high cliffs, the white creature sitting on a slab of rock, looking at me with dark eyes.

‘You’re in deep, kid. Quite a bump to the head, if it was enough to send you here.’  Looking up from the phone screen, I crouched in front of the animal cautiously.

“Who are you exactly?” I asked quietly, considering the animal had large ears, I didn’t want to damage it’s hearing.

‘I’m Carbuncle! I’m here to guide you back to the waking world! But first, we need to find the exit.’ was the reply I received on the phone. I looked at Carbuncle with a thoughtful gaze, before standing and tucking the phone into my coat pocket.

“Lead the way then.”

Carbuncle gave a ‘yip’ before taking off down the path again, with me following close behind. The path went downwards until pools of water were resting between the rocks that littered the ground. The pools of water eventually made sense as we came across a large lake, surrounded by the cliffs that had been growing taller as we walked on.

Carbuncle give another ‘yip’, prompting me to pull out the phone again.

‘I’ve found the door, follow me!’ was what the message read before it jumped and disappeared into the water.

I sighed, staring into the clear water before jumping in as well. The cold water was a shock to my system and the darkness was suffocating at the very least. However, it only lasted a moment before I was stumbling across the floor of my history classroom. Small issue though— I was the size of a mouse now.

I looked around for Carbuncle, going wide-eyed at the new size of the animal; he might as well be an elephant now. The elephant-sized creature trotted off in search of the exit, with me following close behind.

Carbuncle eventually launched itself up onto the teacher’s desk, looking around the model of an old imperial palace before giving a loud ‘yip’.

‘I found the next doorway! We’re almost there!’ the message read before I pocketed the phone once more, trying to climb my way up a stack of books to the teacher’s chair and eventually the desk. God bless the history prof’s disorganization, or else I would never have reached the top. Walking up to the palace model, I pull out the phone again as Carbuncle ‘yips’ from above.

‘Up ahead is the end of your dream. The one place you truly feel safe.’  
I smiled up at the animal before heading forward into the light-filled doorway. I continued to walk, the light slowly beginning to fade before giving way to the scene before me.

I stood in front of my family’s home, the streets around me quiet but in a calm way.

‘Your home is your safe place! You feel the safest when you’re surrounded by your family!’ I followed Carbuncle across the street to the front door, fishing my keys from my jacket pocket and unlock the door. Leaning down, I rub the animal’s head, making sure to steer clear of it’s horn.

‘Everyone’s waiting for you.’

“Thanks, Carbuncle. For everything.” I said quietly, rising to my full height and opening the door to the house. Stepping over the threshold, I closed the door behind me before the world slowly went dark once again.

* * *

I slowly blinked awake, expecting to find myself in a hospital with a doctor about to tell me I had a cracked skull and a bad concussion. But what I actually saw was a thin old woman resting in a chair by my bedside, her silver hair piled up on top of her head as she sewed a button on a shirt.

“Where am I?” I asked quietly, my voice hoarse from disuse but also higher than I remember. Staring in confusion, I tried to sit up in the massive bed before realizing it wasn’t the bed that was huge. I was just the size of a child.

“Calm down, child. You took a tumble while playing with the other children.” the woman replied calmly, putting down her sewing to walk to my bedside.

“Who are you? Why am I here?” I demanded, scooting away from the woman as she drew closer. The old woman sighed lightly as she sat on the edge of the mattress.

“I’m Miss Renata, I run the foster home here. Where you live.” the woman answered patiently, looking at me in pity.

I look at the size difference between her hand and mine, slowly becoming more confused as the seconds tick by.

“How old am I?”

Miss Renata smiles sadly, “You’re eight years old.”

I suck in a sharp breath, staring down at the blankets covering my lap. They are black and grey patterned quilts, worn and fraying in some areas from age and use.

“I can’t be. I was seventeen just a few hours ago, I just finished my day at high school!” I grew more frantic, my hands shooting upwards to tangle in my dark hair.

Miss Renata reached over to the bedside table, retrieving a hand mirror before facing it towards me. In the reflection of the glass was me in all my wide-eyed, eight year-old glory. Dark hair a tangled mess around a pale face that had brown eyes that were far too wide to be normal; a white bandage stained with spots of brown wrapped around my forehead. Tears began to well in my eyes as the old woman carefully placed the mirror back on the bedside table, and resting a weathered hand on my thin shoulder.

“The doctor said there might be a chance that you would be confused when you woke up. Hopefully, everything will come back to you slowly. For now, eat and rest, and we’ll go from there.” the old woman encouraged lightly, moving slowly to retrieve a tray of food from a dresser by the door and place it in my lap. “The soup and bread should be easy on your stomach, dear. Once you finish, you can go back to sleep.”

I nodded silently, picking up the bread and tearing it into chunks to dunk in the strange soup. It didn’t really taste like chicken but it was close, prompting me to ask Miss Renata.

“What’s in the soup?” The woman smiled lightly from where she had returned to her sewing.

“It’s vegetable and chocobo soup. Easy food for an empty stomach.” I tilted my head slightly at the mention of ‘chocobo’ but didn’t ask anything more. I was more concerned with filling my empty stomach.

After finishing the soup and the glass of milk that accompanied my food, Miss Renata took the tray away and tucked me in my bed once again. It was strange having an adult tuck me in but in my current state, I couldn’t object.

“Rest now. Perhaps you’ll remember more once you’ve rested some more.” the old woman said with a small smile, closing the door behind her and leaving me to wonder until I drifted off into sleep.


	2. Frostfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> or In Which Soo-Min Makes An Impression

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting kinda generous with the chapters here. Two days in a row now, but fair warning, this is only because I'm on reading week and I'm actually balancing assignments well right now. We're still kinda building up Soo-Min as a character in this chapter but hopefully if all goes well, next chapter will feature some familiar faces. I'm also trying to keep to a consistent word count, anywhere between 1,700 to 2,000 is what I how to write per chapter, besides special chapters that just have to exceed that limit. This is mostly done for the readers benefit do y'all can get chapters faster, while being an obtainable goal for me.  
> Hope you enjoy this new chapter.  
> Song taken from Frostfall by Jeremy Soule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_jEWVoYdlI&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z&index=2

I let Miss Renata fuss over me for the next day before she allowed me to be around the other children again. Even then, if the other children were being too loud around me, they were shooed away by the old woman or her husband.

I took refuge in the books the couple kept around the house and occasionally the newspaper, if Mr Faustus was finished with them for the day. Through them, I had learned that I had ended up in a realm called Eos, and was currently living in Insomnia, the Crown city of the kingdom of Lucis.

In order to help me "remember", Miss Renata had gone over my details on file with me. In this world, I had been born to some Goryean immigrants and left on the foster home doorstep at 9 months old. The old couple had named me Cassia when I was brought here 8 years ago, but at the thought of using a name that was not my own, I demanded to use the name I knew as my own. With a lot of grumbling and sighing on the old couple's part, they reluctantly changed my name to Soo-Min.

While I had been recovering from my head injury, the other children living in the foster home had attempted to get me to participate in their games. I tried to be involved as best I could and play the part of an eight year old, but more often than not I found myself nose deep in a book about the history of Lucis and the Royal family.

But Miss Renata and Mr Faustus were concerned for me, and how reclusive I was becoming. The elderly couple went out of their way to try and speak with me, to get me involved with the other children's games. I only smiled and asked for more books to read. Eventually, the couple gave up and began giving me books in place of dolls and games. The other children also gave up in trying to include me in games, unable to come up with something that would hold my interest for longer than five minutes

Every once in awhile, there would be a hype about how potential adopters would be stopping by and take a child home. But I never really took part in it; I was a strange kid who wanted to read instead of play, and more often than not, the couple usually wasn't interested in adopting an immigrant.

It was one of those days where a couple was coming to potentially adopt, and the house was in a frenzy trying to get everyone and everything in order. I had dressed nicely as Miss Renata had requested and set up the dining room table with some refreshments with one of the older girls earlier this morning.

I sat on a couch in the sitting room, reading a battered copy of The Cosmogony, in an attempt to learn about the beliefs of the people of Eos. The Astrals were a fascinating subject and I was so thoroughly engrossed in the old tome that I was unaware of someone sitting down beside me.

"I always found that the young people never truly appreciated the legends of the Six like they used to. It's refreshing to see a child so engrossed in their tales." I startled at the sound of the stranger's voice, looking away from the book to my left.

Sitting on the left end of the couch was a man somewhere in his late thirties, wearing a casual suit as he smiled gently at me. His hair was a golden shade of blonde, with kind green eyes staring down at me. I jolted as I realized that he was waiting for me to respond.

"Oh, um… I like reading just about anything, especially since I hit my head a month ago and can't remember what was taught in school." I explained quietly, looking down at the book that lay in my lap.

"What would your favourite genre of reading be? Mine would probably be crime novels, if I'm being truly honest." the man stated with ease, leaning an elbow against the arm of the couch.

"Probably history and the Cosmogony. Since they're both interesting and important, of course." I offered, looking up with a small smile, "The legend of the rejected king is one of my favourites."

"Well, that's refreshing to hear. Not many learn about that one after preschool... " the man mused, trailing off as he caught sight of a woman lingering in the doorway.

"Ah, Myung-Hee, come here. I'd like you to meet someone, sweetheart." the man called out to the woman, who smiled lightly as she approached the two of us. The small woman was dressed in a pretty blouse and a loose skirt, her dark hair piled up on her head to reveal her brown eyes, features attributed to Goryean heritage. The woman took a seat across from us in one of the armchairs that littered the room, smiling lightly at the man beside me.

"This is my wife, Han Myung-Hee. I'm Aetius Farron, forgot to introduce myself earlier." the man introduced with a chuckle, shaking his head at his forgetfulness.

"Soo-Min." I offered, bowing my head lightly in return. Myung-Hee laughed lightly, looking between her husband and me.

"So, Soo-Min-ssi, has my husband been talking your ear off about books? He'll chat about his obsession with anyone he can." the woman asked with a laugh, a slight accent staining her words, but understandable nonetheless.

"Actually, it's nice to talk about books for once. None of the other children want to hear about the Six or old legends, they just want to play all the time. So I'm often alone and reading." I replied with a sad smile, looking down at the Cosmogony resting in my lap.

"Sometimes being alone with a book is the best thing in the world." came Aetius' response, the man trying to be helpful in some way as he patted my head with a heavy hand. I looked up again, forcing a warmer smile onto my face.

"So, what do you do for work?" I asked out of honest curiosity, as the couple had been the first adults to have an extended conversation with me when looking to adopt. And considering I actually liked them, I might as well put in some effort.

"We both work up at the Citadel, actually. Myung-Hee is one of the Prince's caretakers and I work in the Crownsguard." the blonde-haired man replied, looking at me carefully as he answered my question. I nodded lightly, my shoulder-length black hair swaying around me.

"I've only seen pictures of it in my history books on the Lucian Royal family and the kingdom itself, but it looks so amazing. And the fact that it's ages old makes it even more awesome, in my opinion. It's so cool that you get to work there." I gushed, my love for old buildings flooding my tone with admiration. Myung-Hee chuckled at my enthusiasm, smiling fondly at me.

"Yes, it's quite the honour to be working in such grandeur. Though I must admit the magic tends to wear off when you're trying to wrangle the Prince into his bath or attempting to get him to eat vegetables occasionally." the woman said, laughter apparent in her tone as she spoke fondly of the Prince.

"Between you and me, my wife has the fun job out of the two of us." Aetius mock whispered from behind his hand, driving me into a small fit of giggles.

"I'm sure brandishing a sword and beating up other members of the guard are just as fun, dear." Myung-Hee countered with a wide smile, brushing invisible dust from her skirt as she and her husband stood from their seats.

"It's been a pleasure, Soo-Min. But my husband and I have to speak to Miss Renata and Mr Faustus, enjoy the rest of your day." the woman said, Aetius ruffling my hair before standing and guiding his wife out of the living room in search of the two caretakers.

After the sounds of their steps had faded, I set my book on the couch beside me and followed in their wake. Tailing the couple to the dining room, I lingered just outside the doorway as they spoke with Miss Renata and Mr Faustus.

"Are you sure you wish to adopt her? The poor child has been a handful ever since she hit her head and awoke with no memory of anything. She is trying to relearn eight years of information and we need to be sure that you aware of this added commitment." Mr Faustus cautioned the couple, his voice stern.

"We're quite capable of handling her, Mr Faustus. She'll have the best education available and we'll treat her as if we were her parents from birth." Aetius assured the elder man, taking on a professional tone that he hadn't use with me.

"My husband and I are aware of how special of a girl Soo-Min is, the conversation we shared in the living room is proof enough. We believe that we can give her what she needs to succeed. We're positive we want to adopt her." Myung-Hee said, unfaltering in her words as she spoke to the older couple. I smiled brightly at the thought of the nice couple adopting me, excited and hopeful that my caretakers wouldn't deny this opportunity.

With a heavy sigh, Miss Renata finally spoke after a moment of silence.

"Very well, once Soo-Min has agreed to the adoption, we'll sign the paperwork. We must put her feelings and opinions into consideration as well, Faustus."  
The man grunted lightly in response, "Very well then, I'll go fetch the kid."

Before he could stand for his seat, I stepped into the room, much to the surprise of the adults.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping but I couldn't help it. I wanted to know if Aetius and Myung-Hee were planning to adopt me." I apologized, bowing my head slightly as I spoke.

"It's alright, child. But do you agree to your adoption? It's a lot to process for most children, let alone one in your situation." Mis Renata questioned, her gray gaze sweeping over me in concern.

"Yes, ma'am. Nothing would make me happier than to go home with them." I spoke calmly with a smile on my face, praying to the Six that Miss Renata wouldn't find a reason to doubt my sincerity.

"Very well then. Go collect your things then, we have paperwork to sign." the old woman sighed, standing from her chair to retrieve my file from the office. Myung-Hee and Aetius smiled happily at me before I disappeared out of the dining room and up the stairs to my room to collect my things.


	3. One Summer's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or In Which Soo-Min Gets Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as I mentioned earlier in the preview that doesn't exist, sorry for the two month wait. School was a killer, and ruined me mentally and physically. And then exams finished up on the 25th, only for me to come down with the flu right after. It really sucked, and after a shit night of sleep, I finally managed to pull out a new chapter that's 2,641 words in total. God bless sudden inspiration. Now fair warning, we kinda get into Soo-Min's past life in this chapter, so bare with me. It's gonna be a slow process in revealing what her life was like. Also we finally get to see a bit of what Goryean culture looks like cuz I finally decided what I wanted to do after watching a bunch of movies and staring at a map of Eos for ages. Granted, this is only a brief look into their culture and history but once again, it will be more fully explored in the future. And side note, if you couldn't guess from the names, Goryeans i.e., Soo-Min and Myung-Hee, are a race in Eos based on Asian cultures, specifically Korean since I'm more familiar with that culture (and I kinda stole the name from their history too so there's that). Also, I wanted to left you guys know that I now have a tumblr dedicated to Final Fantasy fic/fanart hell, so follow me @cherryblossomcheesecake for FF related crap and me talking about shit. Please comment, even if it's just a "loved the chapter" and leave kudos. It gives me life. Wow, I need to shut up now.  
> Chapter title from One Summer's Day by Joe Hisaishi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smn0HOvwoZ8&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z&index=3

In the past few days, I had grown accustomed to living with Aetius and Myung-Hee. My adoptive father would travel between the Citadel and our large apartment in the mornings and evenings for his duties in the Crownsguard. Myung-Hee had managed to take a small vacation from her role as one of the Prince’s nannies to make my transition from the orphanage to their home easier.

My new mother made sure that every possible form of comfort was provided for me, anything from new clothes to collections of books on various subjects. She involved me in minor house chores to keep me busy in order for us to bond and assisted me in the history studies I had picked up in order to prepare to return to school.

However, my time with Myung-Hee was coming to a close as her short holiday was ending soon. I was aware of her worried glances when she believed I wasn’t looking, and heard her and Aetius speaking after I had gone to bed. Myung-Hee was concerned that I wasn’t ready to return to grade school, that I needed more time to catch up. But with both my adoptive parents working, it was impossible for me to remain at home on my own.

My parents deliberated on what to do for a few nights before Aetius proposed his idea to us at a rare family dinner.

“I was speaking with a few of the other Crownsguard and they suggested we hire a tutor and request that Soo-Min’s lessons be held in the Citadel library. That way she will learn what she needs to and we don’t have to worry about her safety.”

Myung-Hee paused in her eating, as did I, looking towards Aetius with interest.

“Have you spoken with the council of this ideal? Soo-Min’s afternoon studies would likely impede on the Prince’s private lessons after he returns from his formal schooling.” she countered, picking at the salad on her plate.

“The library is quite large; I’m sure they can both learn what they need to without disturbing each other. And besides, this is only temporary. Soo-Min just needs to catch up on a few things before she returns to normal grade school. Even if she does come in contact with the prince during her sessions, it would be good for her to know someone once she goes back to formal education, darling.”

I quietly watched them speak back and forth, eyes flicking from one adult to the other. I was eager to start formal lessons again, but possibly running into the prince made me nervous as hell. Despite me being a full year older than him and then mentally 17 on top of that, I was still concerned about possibly meeting the future king of this world and blowing my cover.

Myung-Hee stared critically at her husband before sighing, “Speak to the council first, then we’ll look for a tutor.”

Aetius nodded before returning to his dinner, signaling the restart of our meal.

* * *

It was one of those evenings where I couldn’t fall asleep. Myung-Hee and Aetius had gone to bed hours ago, putting me to bed like the eight year old I appeared to be. As I lie awake for hours, I eventually pulled myself from the comforts of my bed so I could look through the small amount of belongings that I had brought with me from the orphanage.

I carefully handled the worn-looking bird plush that was no doubt mine, but not at the same time. I handled all my items from the orphanage with the care of a stranger, not really considering them mine at all. There were worn plush toys that were clearly from this body’s early childhood, tattered books filled with this world’s nursery rhymes and fairy tales, and small bobbles that had obviously been collected due to curiosity.

I began to place them throughout my rather barren room, lining up the plushes along a bookshelf for safe keeping next to the books I had. I placed the small collection of knick-knacks that I had around the room on random surfaces, reaching into my bag and pulling them out one by one.

As I reached into the bag once again, my hand closed around something smooth and rectangular, making me look to my hand in confusion. However my frown swiftly became a grin as I recognised my old beat up phone, accompanied by it’s USB charger. Thank God for small mercies.

I quickly held down the power button to see if it still worked, delighted at the appearance of a bright start up screen. My mood was only dampened by the bittersweet appearance of my phone’s background; a photo of my family. I had just turned sixteen when the photo was taken, my mother looking to be but a slightly older version of myself with our matching dark hair and eyes. My father only shared his smile with me, his pale eyes and blonde hair setting him apart from us just as much as his height. My eyes flick over their features before I power down my phone, saving the remaining battery life for the future, for when I need a reminder of what my mother’s soft smile and my father’s army hardened face looked like.

I placed the old phone behind some books on my shelf, concealing what remained of my past life from the people within my new life. I stared solemnly at the shelf for a few moments before crawling into bed and forcing myself into a state of sleep.

* * *

It was early morning the following Monday, allowing Myung-Hee to dress me in a simple hanbok made of white and violet silk and tulle. She sat me down on a cushion in front of the apartment’s couch, regaling to me the history and culture of the people we came from in her soft mother-tongue that was so similar to Korean, sharing the myths and legends of our lands as she began to sort out my dark tresses.

“We Goryeans are a mighty people, strong and wild like the sea we sail.” Myung-Hee spoke, a reverent tone lacing her voice as she brushed my hair back from my face.  
“For many ages, ever since the Lady Leviathan granted us reign of the sea, our people have sailed the coasts of Eos and traded among the nations” she recounted, braiding sections of my hair and tying them off, “We laid claim to the abandoned shores of Solhiem, and built our capitol city within a port there. Its beauty is unparalleled by the other kingdoms, untainted by magic or machinery, and preserved by our traditions and culture.”

Myung-Hee began to twist the braids she had made upwards, careful fingers pinning them to the back of my head.  
“We have survived through the changes and trials of time by the guidance of our elected counsel of princesses; allowing the people to select who shall lead them through the ages, rather than be bound to a line of succession that could be corrupted.” Myung-Hee reached for a small decorative pin, one made of ivory shaped into a lotus flower with a few red beads hanging from it. She slid it into the bun that the pinned braids had created, her hands coming to rest on my shoulders.

“You are apart of this legacy, and one day you will see the glory of our heritage. But for now, we must remain here until the world is safe enough for us to make the journey.” my adoptive mother rose from her place on the couch, helping me up from the floor so I would not ruin my clothes. As she straightened out the skirt of my hanbok, Myung-Hee smiled affectionately at me, tapping my nose lightly before speaking once again.

“Now, I have a prince to attend to and you have a tutor to meet.” she teased before prompting our leave from the apartment.

* * *

It was later in the afternoon when I found myself in the vast library of the Citadel, the prince’s private tutor by my side. That in itself was a kind blessing from the king, who had believed that it would be good to socialize his son with me so we’d both have a familiar face at Insomnia Day School.

The tutor had deduced that I had managed to retain my math skills, and that my literature skills were beyond my grade level, which was no surprise to me. I had 17 years of formal education on my side. I only had issues with history and the basic politics we had been taught on the ongoing conflict with Niflheim; these two shortcomings clearly made me the ideal study partner for the prince in the king’s mind.

I had begun learning about the surrounding lands and territories of the kingdom as well as others when the library door could be heard creaking open. My tutor paused in his lesson, waiting calmly for the prince to arrive.

He was a small thing, but adorable nonetheless. The prince’s wide blue eyes were extremely expressive, obviously curious about my presence. He looked small for a seven year old, however when he grew up, he would most definately make up for any shortcomings with his looks.

I smiled lightly before offering a quiet, “Hello,” as my greeting.

At my calm and rather simple acknowledgment of his presence, the prince smiled brightly and perking up like a puppy.

“Hi, I’m Noctis! What’s your name?” I almost got whiplash at how quickly the prince—Noctis— spoke, scuttling up into the chair beside me and gazing at me curiously.

“Soo-Min. I’m Miss Han’s daughter.” I replied, watching as the younger boy lazily swung his legs over the edge of the chair.

“I didn’t know Miss Han had a daughter...” Noctis mused quietly, tilting his head to the side, “So why are you being tutored by Nero? I don’t think he’s ever work with someone else while teaching me.”

I sighed as I stared at the table, getting my story together in my head.

“I hit my head a few weeks ago and couldn’t remember anything when I woke up. I’ve thankfully been able to regain my math and literacy skills with a bit of practice but I’m having trouble remembering history and politics. My mother and father want to make sure I’m all caught up before I go back to formal school.”

“So you get to be my study partner for a while?” is what the boy offered after thinking for awhile.

“Yeah, I guess so.” I replied, smiling kindly at the boy. He gave me a wide toothy grin before our tutor called for our attention to finish my lesson so we could move on.

I could see myself coming to look forward to my afternoons with Noctis; the boy was so full of energy and looked around with such wonder that I hadn’t experienced in so many years. The prince would talk about anything and everything, asking all sorts of questions about my time at the orphanage. I answered the best I could for the sweet boy, but often found myself giving vague answers or defaulting to the excuse that I was unable to remember.

I indulged him in his little games that he wished to play after the end of our lesson, running through the beautiful gardens of the citadel as we chased each other in a two person game of tag. I followed the little terror through the gardens, darting between rose bushes and hedges shaped into various creatures, the dart of black and cheerful laughter my only clues to where the boy had gotten off to.

I hiked up the skirt of my hanbok, chasing the shadow of the little prince through the maze of a garden. I soon became lost in the hedges, stopping to catch my breath as I looked around. I could faintly hear Noctis’ calls from elsewhere in the garden, coming to a standstill as I calmed the beating of my heart, and the heaving of my chest.

I close my eyes, focusing on the space around me and the distant laughter of the young prince. A faint call of “Are you giving up already?” comes from the left area of the garden, sending me off at a near sprint as I wove my way between plants, determined to find the young prince.

I darted around a hedge, following the stone path of the gardens and collided with something much bigger and more solid than a plant.

Stumbling backwards, I almost fall on my ass before a hand grasps my shoulder and steadies me. I look upwards, startled by the assistance in remaining upright, my dark gaze meeting that of the aged brown eyes of a man much older than my adoptive parents.

“Are you alright, child?” the man asked, his voice rich and cultured as he knelt to my height.

I gazed uncertainly at the man before me, noticing another man lingering a step or two behind him. My brown eyes flicked between the two men before falling to the one in front of me.

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry for running into you, sir.” I apologized, respectfully bowing my head to him, “I was chasing the prince in the game we were playing and didn’t look where I was going.”

The man kneeling before me let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head lightly.

“Fear not child, you meant no harm. Now tell me, you would not happen to be Aetius and Myung-Hee’s daughter, would you?” the man responded, curiosity colouring his voice as he regarded me. His companion had come to stand beside him, prompting me to scrutinize the pair carefully. Despite being within the Citadel gardens that were guarded by many Crownsguard, I still valued the good old practice of ‘stranger danger’ that my mother in my past life had instilled in me.

“I don’t see how that concerns you, sir.” I replied cautiously, stepping away from the men and allowing the hand to slip from my shoulder. My statement pulled a deep chuckle from the man who still stood tall, amusement glittering in his eyes.

“I do believe the girl has a point, your Majesty.” his companion offered between puffs of laughter. My eyes widened as my gaze flew between the man now identified as the king, and his companion, no doubt one of his guard. The king looked towards the man with a small huff, looking rather disgruntled with his guard.

The sound of shoes on gravel came from down the path, turning our attention to the sight of Noctis sprinting towards us.

“Dad!” the dark haired prince yelled at the sight of his father in front of me. The king rose from his kneeling position, turning and bending in order to scoop up his son as he ran into his arms.

“Hello son. I was just getting acquainted with your new friend. Apparently your little game of chase in the gardens got her a bit lost.” the king turned to me as he spoke to his son, offering a wink of good humor.

“Isn’t Soo-Min great? You know, besides getting lost.” Noctis replied with a laugh, looking to me with his midnight blue eyes full of delight.

“Indeed, son. Why don’t we depart for the evening meal, so you and Soo-Min may regale your afternoon adventures to Clarus and I with full stomachs. I’m sure her mother would find it easier to collect her from the dining hall.” Noctis’ father offered, settling his son to rest on his forearm as he looked between us.

“That would be amazing, dad! Come on, Soo! We can tell dad and uncle Clarus all about what we did today and I’m sure you’ll like all the food. I know I do. Well besides the vegetables. Vegetables are gross.” Noctis’ displeasure for vegetables made me laugh as we began our departure from the garden, the prince carrying on in this manner until we were safely within the corridors of the citadel.


	4. Pastoral Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or Where Soo-Min Goes Back to School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to bust this chapter out before the day I set as my new update time. Like God bless, honestly. I plan to update this fic every friday now, however this chapter is early due to the fact that I am out of town this weekend and mostly likely will not be able to post on friday. This is also the case for next friday, but whether or not the next chapter is early, late or on time depends on how hectic the weekend is. Anyways, we're once again seeing Soo-Min grow in Eos, develop her friendship with Noctis, and slowly get involved in the overall plot of FFXV. Thank you to those who have commented, and left kudos, I hope you enjoy this new chapter. Please subscribe to the story to receive emails when I update, and please leave comments as your feedback means a lot to me.  
> Chapter title from Pastoral Morning from the Scarlet Heart Ryeo/Moon Lovers OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJGsFfAvuG8&index=4&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z

My days were filled with prince’s voice and laughing face, following me from the early morning into the early evenings as I became a piece within the royal family’s daily routine. I accompanied my mother every morning to the citadel at dawn, following her as she completed her duties. I always trailed after her as Myung-Hee went on her way to awake the sleeping prince for his day at school; my lips tilting upwards into a small grin at the sight of the prince drowning among his pillows and blankets, only his feathery tufts of dark hair visible.

I looked to my mother as she approached the curtains, receiving a nod of approval before proceeding to sit beside the sleeping boy. I gently ran my small fingers through his hair, whispering words of awakening to lure the boy from the realm of slumber.

“Wake up, Noctis. You gotta get ready for breakfast. Don’t want to be late for school now.” I called to him in my childish sing-song voice. All I received in response was a faint whine, pulling a light laugh from me before I tore the covers from the half awake prince.

The loss of his blankets pulled a louder whine from the dark-haired boy, as he slowly sat up in an attempt to regain his lost warmth. My mother opened the curtains that hid the view of Insomnia from the prince’s chambers, allowing the light of the sun to enter the room and bring the disgruntled prince further into the realm of consciousness.

Noctis rubbed at his blue eyes before regarding me with a sour look, a pout gracing graces his lips.

“I retract all positive statements I’ve said about you, Soo. You’re awful.”  the seven year old prince groaned as he stared at me with a narrow gaze, yawning as he slipped from his bed and into the attached bathroom. I laughed at his retreat before sliding off the bed, assisting my mother in straightening up the bed while waiting for the prince’s return. My mother returns to cleaning the prince’s quarters as I await the return of my newfound friend on one of the embroidered footstools.

Noctis eventually emerged from his bathroom, all traces of his slumber erased from his face by the water, besides the wide yawn that accompanied his reappearance. I offered my friend a smile as he approached me with eyes still bleary with sleep, extending a hand to the younger boy in order to guide him in his tired state towards the dining room and his breakfast.

I steady Noctis as my mother leads us through the halls of the citadel, listening intently to the sleepy comments the prince offered.

“After our lessons, do you want to play in the gardens again this afternoon? Perhaps you won’t get lost this time.” the dark haired boy questioned, sarcasm filling his tone. I looked to the prince, my eyes narrowed as I took in his teasing smile.

“Why you cheeky little prince… Weren’t you ever taught to respect your elders?” I responded, stopping in my tracks to pinch the boy’s cheek in retaliation to his comment. Noctis laughed, swatting my hand away in good will before racing ahead of me and into the dining hall. I shook my head lightly before following the prince and my mother.

The young prince had already taken his seat at the long table swing his legs in a carefree manner as servants placed his breakfast in front of him. My mother ushered me to sit in the seat to his left, various fruits and toast placed in front of me to eat before I began my morning with the tutor.

Noctis looked to me, a piece of toast slathered in jam within his hand as he stared. Swallowing, the dark haired boy inquired, “So when do you think that you’ll be able to come back to school? I know we won’t be in the same class but it would be nice to have someone to talk to during break.”

I looked to Myung-Hee for guidance, as my adoptive mother would better be able to gauge how caught up I was in my lessons to the grade level I needed to be.

The Goryean’s dark gaze landed on her young charge, smiling indulgently towards him.  
“Soo-Min should be prepared to return to school by this coming monday, your highness. She has been doing well with the tutor these past few weeks, so we believe she is well enough to be enrolled once more.” The prince and I shared a wide grin before continuing to eat our morning meals, content with knowing that I would be joining him at Insomnia Day school in a matter of days.

Noctis departed for school shortly after, leaving me to seek out Nero to begin our morning lessons.

* * *

It was an odd thing, the morning I was to return to school. It reminded me of long forgotten memories from my past life, clouded and made hazy due to the years gone by. Both Aetius and Myung-Hee were present that morning, giving off the appearance of a normal family readying for the duties of the day. It was parallel to the childhood I had 13 years ago, when another mother and father prepared to send me off to school in a state of pretend normalcy. A working mother fretted over what to dress me in and a military father faintly cursed as he tried to make an edible breakfast with his limited skills. It was the same, whether it be in the past or present life I live.

Myung-Hee had finally settled on a sundress a shade of pink I had only seen at dusk. My adoptive mother guided me out into the kitchen, settling me at the dining table before ushering Aetius away from the stove and attempted to save the omelette he had been making. My father joined me at the table, his green gaze almost penetrating.

“Are you sure you’re ready? Nero may believe you’re up to par with your education but, that doesn’t account for if you are mentally prepared to enter a crowded environment, and an unknown one at that.” Aetius questioned, his gaze lingering on my features, searching for signs of unease.

I met his eyes, trying to offer an appearance of sincere innocence.

“I’m sure. I am tired of my days consisting of the citadel walls from dawn until nightfall, and while Noctis is an amazing friend, it would be nice to have others.” I replied firmly, keeping eye contact with my father. The man observes me with his cool stare for a moment longer before nodding in acceptance as he leans back in his chair. Myung-Hee begins to dole out our breakfast, pressing a lingering kiss to her husband’s brow as she passes by. Aetius smiles adoringly at her as she continues to place food on the table, beginning to eat his breakfast at a slow pace.

My father had been the one to drop me off at school on the morning of the first day, as mother had to head off to the citadel so she could ready Noctis for school as well. I lingered at the gates, awaiting the prince’s arrival while enduring the curious stares of the children walking past and into the school yard. I could hear their faint whispers as they wondered who the newcomer was, although none of them approached me in order to sate their curiosity.

It wasn’t long before a car of sleek design was pulling in front of the gates, and the boy I was awaiting slipped out from within it. Noctis was dressed in his usual outfit that was casual enough for school while still presenting his higher station to those around him. The prince’s blue eyes found mine as I lingered by the gates, his face breaking into a wide grin as he rushed towards me, eager to share the experience of school with a friend.

“Soo! Are you excited to be back at school?” the prince asked, bouncing in front of me like a small puppy. I smiled brightly in response to his enthusiasm, allowing Noctis to pull me into the school yard by the hand.

“Why wouldn’t I be, when I get to see my best friend more often?” I answered truthfully, fondly taking in the emotions that flitted across the younger boy’s face. It bounced from sudden shock to joy, a grin spreading across his face quickly. It was true, Noctis had become my best friend due to nearly every afternoon being spent together, the difference in our levels of maturity not hindering us from growing close.

“I’m glad that I’m your best friend, because you are mine. And I hope we can be together always.” Noctis replied, has hand clutching mine tightly with sapphire blue eyes brimming with joy. I squeezed his hand in return, pulling myself close to his smaller frame to initiate closer contact with my friend.

“The Gods themselves would have to order me from your side if you do not do it yourself, Noctis.” I swore honestly to him, truly wishing to never leave the sweet boy; I would remain by his side for as long as possible to keep him this innocent and kind.

“Now, do you know where classroom 2-A is? Mother and father weren’t able to find a good enough time to take me on the school tour after I was enrolled.” I enquired, my eyes carefully watching the time so we wouldn’t be late to our respective classes. Noctis nodded before leading me off down hallways towards the second grade classrooms.

* * *

 I found second grade to be more boring than the first time I went through it, my fellow classmates unending curiosity towards me fueled by my close relationship with Noctis. I tried to be kind and make friends with the 8 year olds around me, however it became apparent to me that they were only interested in me due to my connection to the prince, if their inquiries were anything to go by. I understood the unending curiosity of children due to my afternoons spent with Noctis, but none of their interest was in me, the new student. And I wasn’t sure if it caused me to feel more offended or hurt.

I managed to slip away from my classmates during the start of lunch, escaping into the hall with the lunchbox I had gotten from Myung-Hee. I wandered through the halls, trying to find a way out to the school yard to enjoy my lunch in peace. I managed to leave the building through a side entrance, settling down on a bench that was in the shade of a tree to eat my lunch. I quietly began eating the vegetables Myung-Hee had tucked in the container with my rice, listening to sound of the city around me and the noise of the children filtering out of the school’s open windows.

It was the sound of his footfalls that alerted me of Noctis’ arrival, accompanied by his cheerful call of my name.

“Soo! Why are you eating lunch out here?” he questioned, racing towards the bench before launching himself up on it.

“It’s lot more peaceful out here. And I can actually eat my lunch without someone trying to ask me 20 questions. Why are you here?” I tilted my lunchbox towards him in an offering, only to laugh as the raven-haired boy wrinkled his nose in disgust at the vegetables. The younger boy swung his legs over the edge of the bench, staring at me with his blue stare.

“I saw you out here alone from my classroom window and I wanted to talk to you so I could ask you something. I was wondering if you could come see the fireflies at the coast for my birthday next week? My dad has the usual large ball planned for the sake of appearances but I’d really like it if you could come along with me and dad the day after to see them. And you’ll probably be getting a formal invitation in the mail, but I want you at the ball as well. So I can talk to someone who isn’t boring.” the boy explained quickly, either nerves or excitement getting the best of him. I looked at Noctis thoughtfully as I chewed my rice.

He had been nothing but kind since we met, taking a shine to me and swiftly becoming my companion whenever we were both in the citadel. I had never seen such a trustful and loving child when faced with a stranger who looked drastically different from the people around him. It made me want to protect and preserve his kindness, bringing him joy and light in any way possible.

“Of course I will, I’m your best friend aren’t I?” I replied with a smile, reaching an arm around him to pull the dark haired child into a one armed hug, “Besides, I don’t remember what birthday parties are like, so this should be a good first impression.”

The prince looked up at me curiously, his nose wrinkling cutely as he squinted lightly.  
“When is your birthday, Soo? You never really mentioned it before.”

My body froze as my heart began to race, as I had never really thought about this body’s birthday. I swallowed thickly before trying to come up with a solid answer.

“I’m not sure, I was orphaned at a young age, so anything on record would only be an estimate.”

Noctis’ mouth opened in shock at my admission, his young mind not being able to comprehend the thought of not having a birthday all this time. His reaction would have been humorous if it weren’t for the distress on his features.

“You never had a birthday?!?! That’s terrible!”

I simply shrugged in response, eating the last of my vegetables, “It was too expensive for the orphanage to provide birthday parties for all the kids, especially when most of them never knew when their birthdays were.”

I watched the prince huff, crossing his arms across his chest as the gears in his mind worked. The frustrated frown eventually bled into a sly smile, Noctis leaning back on his hands before giving me a conniving glance out of the corner of his blue eyes. I snapped the lid back onto the top of my lunch box, choosing to ignore the scheming prince at my side.

“Whatever you’re planning, stop right now. Last time you had that look, we made a mess of the kitchens and weren’t allowed sweets for a week.” I warned him, placing my lunchbox in it’s bag.

“It won’t get us in trouble, I just thought that since you’ve never had a birthday and don’t know when it is exactly, we could share mine. That way we can celebrate together no matter what, and you get to enjoy all these fancy birthday parties with me forever.” Noctis stated with ease, his smirk swiftly evolving into a grin. I whipped my head around so quickly to stare at him in shock, that I almost got a kink in my neck. I just gaped at the little mastermind of a prince sitting beside me.

“Can you even do that?” I asked faintly, “It can’t be legal, Noctis.”

The raven-haired boy just smiled even wider before stating, “It is if I say it’s a royal decree.”


	5. Born a Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or Where Soo-Min Experiences Racism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long, I hit a small bump in the road but it's all good now. I hope to have the next chapter out by this Friday, and thank you to all of you who have left kudos on the story. We'll be getting into Brotherhood/Platinum demo details by the next chapter, I swear.  
> Also, warning, there is some minor racism/prejudice/stereotyping in the chapter.  
> Anything in Italics within the main text is the Goryeon language.  
> Please leave comments or kudos, it makes me happy.  
> Chapter title taken from Born a Stranger from To the Moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aABQSKnHUh8&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z&index=5

It was Noctis' birthday, and unofficially mine as well, leaving the citadel's staff to prepare the final details in a rush. I had thrown myself onto a rather comfortable armchair upon my arrival to Noctis' chambers, smiling lightly as my mother and other servants fussed over the young prince. The sapphire-eyed boy was pouting as women attempted to tame his hair and pull together an acceptable outfit for the party tonight.

"How come you don't have anyone tugging on your hair and telling you what to wear? It's your party too." the prince whined, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His blue eyes reflected in the mirror in front of him, giving Noctis a rather bratty appearance.

"All in due time, Noctis. Once you're finished up, I'm sure that I'm the next target for fussing." I assured the boy, a smile lighting up my face as I met his gaze in the mirror, "And while it is my birthday as well, the Prince is of higher priority than his school mate."

The ebony-haired boy huffed in response as he crossed his arms over his chest, letting the women continue their work on his hair. My mother had pulled herself away from the group surrounding the prince in order to pull me up from my chair, so she could begin to dress me in the under layers of the hanbok she had commissioned for this evening.

Myung-Hee led me behind the dressing screen set up in the corner of the prince's rooms, pulling the simple blue sundress that I had been wearing off my small frame. I balanced carefully as I stepped into the white underskirt, my hands gripping my mother's shoulders as the skirt was pulled up to my waist. Myung-Hee hummed a quiet Goryeon folk song as she carefully put my arms into the snow white sleeves of my under shirt, tying the front closed before pulling my hair out from underneath the collar.

My mother removed the top skirt from it's hanger, quietly giving me the direction, "Arms up" before sliding it over my head and upraised arms, and down my torso to settle at my waist. The stiff fabric was a dark shade of green, with a slight pattern of ferns decorating it. The colour complemented the patterned shirt Myung-Hee was dressing me in—the pastel yellow fabric was decorated with flowers of gold and pastel pink and blue, tying closed at the front with a dark pink ribbon.

I followed my mother out from behind the screen and into the prince's bored line of sight. I took in Noctis' styled hair as the boy appraised my new change of clothes. His little cow licks around his head had been tamed to lie somewhat flat, while his bangs had been styled in a way that allowed his blue eyes to be seen and unobscured by dark locks. Noctis' sapphire eyes eventually met my own brown ones before speaking.

"You look like a flower in that." came the blunt statement, making me burst out into laughter.

"I don't know, I think I rather like it. Once you get past how many layers the skirt has, it's rather nice." I offered, running my hands over the material of the skirt. It was probably the finest hanbok I owned and I internally cringed as I thought about how much the fabric alone must have cost my parents.

Noctis hopped down from his chair, his attendants gathering the clothing they had chosen for him to wear and following him behind the screen. I in turn followed my mother over to the footstool that sat in front of the arm chair I had laid in earlier, sitting down in order to allow her to style my hair into something acceptable.  
"So, do you know who's gonna be present at the party tonight?" I asked with a raised voice, directing my question towards the hidden figure of Noctis.

"Obviously, there will be our families there, Uncle Clarus will be there with his wife and family. Um, all my father's council members will be there with their families, some of the older members of the Crownsguard. Maybe some foreign diplomats? That's who came last year, give or take a few." was the rather lackluster response he gave me, the prince's tone bored and unenthused by the expected guest list. I winced slightly as my mother tugged on my hair in the process of curling it, grasping at the side of my head in reaction before responding.

"At least I'm here this year, so you won't suffer alone this time." I offered, my mother pinning and twisting braided sections to form a head band. I heard the rustling of clothing as my mother finished up with my hair and rose from her chair to leave the room. The younger boy stepped out from behind the dressing screen, clothed in all black per usual. As dress shorts covered the tops of his short legs, and a white button up covered by a matching black jacket, although Noctis had yet to put on his shoes for the evening.

"Thank the gods for that. Last year I was bored like crazy because of all the adults there." the young prince replied, yawning as he walked to where I sat. Noctis plunked himself into a chair rather unceremoniously, causing his nannies to titter in displeasure at the wrinkles now in his clothes. The boy merely huffed in response, pulling his shoes on as he rejected the women's hovering. I shook my head lightly at his antics before slipping my shoes on just as a knock on the door sounded.

One of the nursemaids rushed to open the door, allowing the towering figure of my father to enter the room. Aetius bowed his blonde head to Noctis, addressing the pair of us at once.

"Pardon my interruption your highness, but I've come to retrieve my daughter." my father announced, extending a hand towards me to help me up from the footstool I sat upon. I placed my small hand into the much larger one offered to me, and allowed my father to pull me up from my seat.

I turned to face Noctis one last time before leaving, "I'll see you during the party, Prince Noctis" is all I offered, sarcasm colouring my voice as I curtsied in a mocking gesture. The younger boy giggled quietly and gave a dismissive wave in return, emulating the lords we had seen wandering the halls of the citadel.

My father led me from the room, holding my hand in a gentle grip as we walked down the corridors of the citadel, slowly making our way towards where my mother was waiting for us.

* * *

I was stuck lingering to mother's skirt as my family drifted around the large garden that the party was set in, my parents speaking to my father's coworkers as I looked around for Noctis in the crowd. Pulling gently on my mother's skirt to garner her attention.

" _Mother, when can I go find the Prince and talk to him? The adult conversation is boring._ " I pouted quietly in Goryean, which was quite similar to my native Korean. However, my natural accent and dialect made my words fall slow and thick from my mouth, as if it was full of cotton. Myung-Hee smiled tenderly at my garbled Goryean, but understood nonetheless.

" _I know, darling. But we must wait for the prince and king to finish speaking with all the important lords, and then they must come to us first. It's all a part of the game their court plays; because we're barely a family of notable worth, we can't go seeking out the royal family. They must have a desire to speak to us for it to appear respectful._ " was the reply I received, my mother's hand stroking my dark hair lightly to calm me. I huffed lightly at this answer, leaning against her legs in a small gesture of defeat.

" _I hate all these formalities, I just want tomorrow to come; so it can just be me and Noct. Not the prince, and the daughter of a maid and crownsguard member."_

Our conversation of hushed whispers in Goryean drew the attention of some of the other nobles around us. An older woman stared down her nose at me, pale eyes narrowing as she took in my family—my mother's hand resting on my head as I held onto the folds of her skirt, my father delicately caressing the hand that Myung-Hee had wrapped around his arm. The woman's husband dragged his gaze across me and my family in thinly veiled disgust before carting his wife off. As they left, I caught pieces of their conversation, further souring my mood.

"I can not believe such people would be allowed at such an event. Aetius is from a minor noble family, of course, but that Gor wife of his is as common as they come. And that child…"

"The woman couldn't even produce an heir for the man, instead they adopt a girl who can't even speak Lucian. Honestly, I don't know what Aetius was thinking when he decided to marry that woman..." their voices slowly faded out as they disappeared in the crowd. It was like ice had been injected into my body, I was so stunned by the blatant racism that had occurred and been aimed at my family.

Myung-Hee's hand had stilled its movement upon my head as the couple's voices carried towards us, prompting me to look upwards at my mother in concern. Her eyes were filled with both shame and sorrow as she stared down towards the ground, while my father looked torn between his concern for his wife, and rage towards the couple. His green eyes darted around the garden before directing us towards an empty space a small distance away from the crowd.

I looked between my parents as Aetius attempted to assess the emotional damage done to Myung-Hee.

"Darling, you know better than to listen to them. They're just old gossips with nothing better to do then bring up our marriage whenever they see us act differently." my father ran his hands up and down my mother's arms in order to console his distressed wife. Myung-Hee looked to her husband with sad chocolate coloured eyes, chewing her lower lip anxiously before she responded.

"I'm well acquainted with being the subject of noble families' gossip and ridicule. I was prepared for it the moment you asked me to marry you. However, I was not prepared for my child to become the next target of their cruelty." my mother exclaimed as tears slid down her cheeks.

I pressed myself closer to her as I hugged the woman's hips tightly, offering my mother silent comfort. Myung-Hee's hand found its way to my head once more, stroking my hair gently as she wiped away her tears on Aetius' offered handkerchief. Once our family was back in order, we returned to the party hand-in-hand and stuck closely to my father's friends within the Crownsguard to avoid anymore brushes with prejudiced nobles.

That's where Noctis found me, huddled against my mother and surrounded by members within the Crownsguard. The prince came walking towards me at a fast pace, all the guards around us bowing politely before returning to their conversation and Noctis pulled me away from Myung-Hee.

"I thought I'd never find you! You wouldn't believe how boring it was standing with father as he greeted all those nobles. But I'm sure standing around waiting for me can't be that much more exciting, can it?" the younger boy proclaimed, leading me through the gardens towards the refreshment tables.

"You could say that…" I replied absently, watching the crowd as eyes followed Noctis and I across the gardens. There was the calculative and careful watch of the Crownsguard stationed around the gardens to protect the king and prince from any ill will present towards them; then came the curious gazes of the lesser nobles, straining to catch a glimpse of the royal family. And then there was the sour expressions of the nobles of higher standing, appearing once they caught sight of the prince and I interacting in such a familiar way, clearly displeased with us being in each other's company.

My dark brown eyes end up pointed downwards at the lush grass of the garden in order to avoid making eye contact with them, the sudden change in my demeanor attracting Noctis' attention from the sweets he'd gathered from the tables.

"Soo, what's wrong? Are you not enjoying the party?" the prince inquired, ducking his head slightly so his large sapphire eyes could stare into my chocolate coloured ones. My gaze flicked from the prince over to the nobles standing a few feet away before focusing on the grass again.

"It's not that… It's just that some of the people here aren't really happy about us being friends, and I don't want to give them any reason to be angry with you… After all, I'm just the daughter of a nanny and an immigrant at that, most people in your position wouldn't even bother spending time with me, let alone be my friend." I confessed to Noctis, shifting uncomfortably as I attempted to hide myself behind the refreshment table.

The prince looked at me with confusion before understanding dawned on his face, looking at a particularly displeased group of nobles before setting aside his food in order to grasp my hand. The younger boy's actions forced me to look at him, startled by his sudden movement.

"I don't care what they say. Soo, your family or background doesn't matter to me at all. It may matter to them but, you're my best friend, and that's all I care about." Noctis declared, his sapphire eyes filled with sincerity. I gaped at the younger boy in shock, surprised by his genuine statement while my brown eyes filled with tears.

I wiped away a stray tear, smiling in appreciation at Noctis as the boy continued to hold my hand.  
"Thank you, Noctis. I really needed to hear that." I mumble through my tears, squeezing his hand tightly. The boy smiled sweetly before pulling me towards one of the garden exits, where a member of the Crownsguard was standing watch.

"Excuse me, Soo and I have had our fill of the party, and would like to return to my rooms. Could you get one of my nannies to come collect us and tell my father of our absence, please?" Noctis asked politely as he addressed the Crownsguard member, receiving a polite bow in response before he went off to find one of the nannies in the garden. We both waited patiently for the arrival of one of the nannies on duty, allowing the woman to lead us out of the garden and into the citadel halls.

Once we reached Noctis' rooms, the eight year old sleepily wandered to the bathroom to change, leaving the nanny to guide me behind the privacy screen to undress. The hanbok I wore to the party was exchanged for a simple white nightgown and hung over the top of the screen before I was led over to the prince's large bed. Noctis had insisted that we sleep side by side in his large bed that night, allowing us to be close rather than sending me off to a guest room across the citadel.

I was barely aware of the prince climbing into the large bed and burrowing under the covers, his thin arms folding against his chest as he cuddled up to my side. I smiled sleepily at the boy's tired face, wrapping my arms around him affectionately.

"Happy birthday, Noctis." I whispered, pressing my lips against the top of his head. I felt a heavy sigh graze my skin faintly before the prince replied, half asleep.

"Happy birthday, Soo."


	6. The Crystal Chamber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or Where Soo-Min Talks to a Rock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is done and out on time, bless. Thank you to those who left kudos, any type of reader feedback means a lot to me! Now, we get to see portions of the anime here, and Soo-Min talks to a rock lol.  
> So the song that I listened to while writing this was "the crystal chamber" by James Newton Howard for the movie Atlantis, which I adore.  
> Anything in Bold Italics is astral speech.

We had spent all day by the water, Noctis fishing under the supervision of some members of the Crownsguard, while I collected shells with the nanny who accompanied us. But the day’s mood had been a bit lackluster due to the absence of Noctis’ father.

Noctis and I sat side by side in the car the following evening, tired from our day at the coast. I leaned against the car door, tucking my feet up beside me as I dozed, the quiet rumble of the engine lulling me to sleep.

In my half awake state, I could hear Noctis speaking with the nanny, Lyssa.

“The fireflies were so pretty. Shoulda brought a bottle…” the prince muttered tiredly, leaning against the woman in exhaustion.

Lyssa smiled before replying, “Your father will be happy to hear about your day, Prince Noctis. It’s such a pity he couldn’t make it today.”

I was able to see the dark haired boy tense at the mention of his father not being able to join us for the day, offering a stiff rebuttal of “He doesn’t care.”

I frowned at my friend, opening my eyes before saying, “You know that’s not true, your father loves you.” and slumping down further into my seat while the prince narrowed his tired eyes at me.

The car was filled with silence for a time, allowing Noctis and I to fall into a light sleep.

However we were suddenly awoken by an explosion outside the car. Startled out of my slumber, I quickly sat upright, straining to see what was happening outside. The driver quickly pulled the car over, the third car stopping behind us as we watched the lead car be engulfed by flames and explode. Noctis and I leaned towards the window as the fire continued to burn, Lyssa pulling us close to her side in shock.

One of the Crownsguard in the car unbuckled his seatbelt as he announced he was going to have a look around to see why the car had gone up in flames, only to be stopped by the driver.  
“Wait.” the guard stated, straining his eyes to look through the smoke. I followed their gazes, peering into the smoke and catching some movement. And whatever it was, it was pretty big.

A large serpent-like form slithered across the ground, the front of the creature rising from behind the burning wreckage. It resembled a woman somewhat, the skin of it a pale blue, and all six arms were wielding a sword, the fire serving to make the thing appear more terrifying.

“A daemon?!” one of the guards stated in shock. He whipped around in his seat to face us, giving orders to Lyssa.  
“Protect the prince and Soo-Min!”

That was all he could say before the daemon’s swords were piercing the body of the car, taking out the passenger side window and windshield, brutally killing both guards. Noctis and I screamed at the top of our lungs, Lyssa fumbling with the door beside me before herding us outside.

We ran as fast as we could, Lyssa shielding our backs as we fled from the daemon, the car we had just been in moments ago exploding into flames. I grasped Noctis’ hand tightly, panting for breath as Lyssa pushed us forward, the distant growling and hissing of the daemon growing closer by the second.

All too soon, the burn of running was replaced by the searing hot pain of the daemon’s blades as they cut through us. Lyssa gave a short cry of agony before collapsing to the ground, her dead weight dragging down the prince and I.

My thighs felt as if they were burning as hot as the cars behind us, my blood soaking through the skirt of my sundress and staining the grey fabric black. I cried silent tears of pain as shock set in, Lyssa’s blood pooling beneath her dead body and spreading under the prince and I.

Noctis moved in my peripheral vision, shifting his arm as he took in the prone form of his deceased nanny before looking upwards in terror. Moving my head slightly, I could see the daemon staring at us from a few feet away, snarling and raising its blades menacingly. My eyes widened in fear, my hand grasping my friend’s tightly as we looked back the monster that we were certain was going to kill us.

Out of nowhere blades of light slashed at the daemon, directing the creature’s attention away from us. The monster bellowed in rage, screaming at her attacker. Noctis and Lyssa’s body was obscuring my vision of who had come to rescue us, but I was able to pick up on the shouting of orders from members of the Crownsguard as they attacked the daemon.

Some of the guards managed to remove Noctis and I from Lyssa’s dead body, immediately looking over our injuries. I let out a scream of pain as a guard tied a bandage across the cut on my upper thigh, the tears streaming down my cheeks a stark contrast to Noctis’ unresponsive form as he stared off to the side while he was being treated.

The world became hazy eventually, the pain becoming too much and forcing me to fall unconscious as the king called Noctis’ name desperately.

* * *

When I came to, I found myself within one of the citadel guest chambers; Myung-Hee was face down at the foot of the bed as she slept in a kneeling position on the ground, while Aetius is seated in a chair at my side. My father carefully grasps my hand as I wake, moving from the chair to sit beside me on the bed.

“Soo-Min… I’m so glad you’re alright, sweetheart. Your mother and I have been worried sick about you…” he whispered to me, careful to not wake up my mother. I took in the changes to his face—the worry lines that had appeared on his forehead, his cheeks looked more hollow than I remembered and there were shadows beneath his eyes.

“What happened… What happened with the daemon?” I questioned, my voice hoarse from disuse. My father looked at me with tearful eyes and caressed my cheek while he considered his answer.

“King Regis took care of it. The daemon won’t be able to hurt you anymore. You’re safe”

I nodded lightly, glancing around the room before clearing my throat to ask my next question.  
“What did the daemon do to me? What did it do to Noctis? There was so much blood and pain, I…” I closed my eyes tightly, my breath hitching as the fear from before hit me like a tidal wave. Aetius immediately began trying to soothe me and fend off my tears, kissing my forehead and cradling my hands in his much larger ones.

“You’re going to be fine, the end of the daemon’s blades caught the backs of your thighs. The doctor thinks it will heal in less than a month, especially since your body managed to reject the Star Scourge so quickly. After a bit of bed rest and physical therapy, all that’ll be left of all this is a scar…” my father assured me, wiping away some of my tears that had fallen free.

“And Noctis?” I pressed, worrying over my friend and his health. I watched my father’s  face fall, his green eyes looking away from my chocolate brown ones.

“The prince fell into a coma. His spine was severed by the daemon’s blades, and he has been infected with the scourge. The doctors operated on him to repair the damage as best they could, but if he manages to fend off the scourge, the prince may never walk again, Soo-Min… His fate is in the hands of the gods now.” Aetius told me with a heavy sigh, dragging his thumb over the top of my hand in soothing circles.

I stared up at the ceiling, my vision blurring as my eyes filled with tears. A lump began to build up in my throat, my refusal to let my sobs free while tears slid down the sides of my face. I swallowed in order to clear my throat and hold back my sorrow.

“Can I have a moment alone please? And maybe could I have some food?” I requested, wanting some time alone to wallow in grief. My father only nodded before rising from my bed and silently leaving the room.

I cried in silence, unsure of what to do now that my only friend lay on the brink of life and death. I didn’t want him to die, I wanted him to live a full life brimming with love and happiness. I wanted him to just live without all this political bullshit surrounding him constantly, but that’s something I couldn’t change. I thought on my father’s words, that Noctis’ life was in the hands of the gods, and it was up to them if the scourge was to claim him or pass. And in my last life, if you wanted something from a god, you prayed to them.

Swinging my legs out from under the covers, I gingerly began to lower myself onto the floor, clinging to the bedside table for support. A dull ache appeared in my thighs, forcing me to bite back groans of discomfort as I used the walls and furniture to guide me to the doors of my room.  
I stuck my head out into the hall before shakily stepping into the empty corridor, ignoring the burning of my thighs. I pushed myself to the wall next to the door, pausing to rest and figure out where the crystal was; if I was going to be praying to the gods, I was going to make sure they could damn well hear me.

I could feel the power of the crystal radiating from the center of the citadel, burning as bright as the sun, while the king and Noctis were candles in the night. I travelled the silent halls slowly, keeping to the walls and shadows to hide myself when a servant would pass by. My journey put strain on my thighs, the burn eventually becoming an inferno of pain that had me biting my lip in order to contain my cries.

The stairs leading up to the room where the crystal was kept was most likely the worst part of the whole thing. I used the guardrail to heave my body up the stairs, clinging to it for dear life when my legs needed a rest. Upon reaching the top, I peered around the corner, watching the guard patrol walk past the chamber doors and turn the corner.

I moved as swiftly as my exhausted legs could carry me, pulling on the door handle and slipping inside the chamber.

The dark room hummed with power from the crystal, pulsing gently as it projected the wall around Insomnia. I knelt on the ground in front of the suspended geode, letting its eerie light reflect onto me while began to pray.

“ **_You are not of the Caelum line, mortal. What is your purpose for addressing the gods?_ ** ” demanded a voice that screamed of power beyond imagining.

Despite reading in the Cosmogony about the astrals physically existing in various locations on Eos, I didn’t expect any of them to answer my prayers personally or to address me. I cleared my throat before speaking, my voice like sandpaper on wood to my ears.

“Soo-Min, of the Han-Farron family. I come to beg the gods for mercy on behalf of the prince, Noctis.” There was silence for a heartbeat following my reply before the voice was speaking to me once more.

“ **_You are not who you claim to be, your soul bears no resemblance to those of this star. And yet, you willingly reveal yourself to the gods and pray to us for the return of the Chosen King.”_ **

I winced in pain as the voice pounded on my head with a force stronger than a migraine, tears welling in my eyes. I looked up from my lap only to come face to face with what could only be the Draconian, Bahamut. I stared up into the inhumanly blue eyes of the astral, letting my tears fall freely.

“I would do anything for Noctis, he’s my only friend in this world. So do what you want with my soul; purge it from this world or keep it as a souvenir, I don’t care. Just please, answer my prayer and return him to his father.” I pleaded, begging the unmoving god.

“ **_Let judgement be passed upon your soul, so it may be known if your presence is harmful to this star and worthy of the astrals’ benevolence._ ** ” Bahamut decreed, his armoured hand pulling me closer to his face so that his eyes could inspect my very being. It was invasive, the god analyzing everything I had done in my past life up until that moment, determining whether my intentions were evil based on my character and actions. What felt like seventeen years and a bit was only mere minutes before the Draconian retreated to pass his judgement.

“ **_Your soul is pure and bears no ill will towards this realm and its people. It is also incorruptible, as the perverse magic of the scourge cannot taint you due to its foreign nature._ ** ” the god stated, remaining impassive and cold towards me. I became hopeful at this admission, looking up to the astral pleadingly.

“Will you return Noctis then, and return him to us?” I asked, hope flooding my voice, almost certain that the god would fulfill my request.

“ **_Such a thing is not within my power, the scourge has the King of Kings shackled within his mind. However, I can grant you the gift needed to guide him back to the light, at a price._ ** ” the Draconian stated, drawing me away from his face.

“I already told you, I would do anything for Noctis. He’s my best friend.” I replied certainly, my eyes never straying from the astral’s face.

 **_“So be it. You will be able to enter the Chosen King’s mind, and free him from the scourge, but at a price. As long as he lives, you must guide the King of Kings, and bear witness to the future unfolding before you and you alone. Unable to warn them of what comes, and unable to change the course of fate. You must ensure that the prophecy is fulfilled when the time comes to pass. This is your duty as the Seer. Now go, see your prayer and duty fulfilled._ ** ” Bahamut announced, releasing me from his phantom grasp and bestowing his divine blessing. The rush of magic that forced its way into my body felt like being punched in the gut by a boxer, throwing me back into the chamber that contained the crystal.

However, I was not returned to my body; I continued to exist outside of my body, a projection of who I once was. I had been returned to my past appearance, although my form was opaque and ever shifting, never solid as a normal human would be. My school uniform was present once more, no doubt making me appear as I did the day I arrived in this world.

I collected my unconscious physical form, and strode out of the chamber. I walked through the halls of the citadel, passing by the servants and Crownsguard without care, for they could not see me if I did not want them to. I returned my body to my temporary chambers, thankful that my father had yet to return, before moving on.

I could sense the magic rolling off the king and Noctis from across the citadel, the flickering of Noctis’ waning strength and power drawing me to the boy. I entered Noctis’ chambers soundlessly, coming to observe my friend in his forced slumber. At his bedside sat the hollow-faced and weary king, his brow furrowed as he watched over his son.

The pain engraved on the king’s face was unbearable, his desperation made known by the small figurine set on the bedside table—the familiar shape of Carbuncle drawing a small smile to my face.

I willed myself to be seen, speaking directly to the king so that my presence would be known.

“Choosing Carbuncle to watch over Noctis’ dreams is a wise decision, your Majesty.” I observed quietly, hoping that my sudden appearance would not startle the king too greatly. The man’s head whipped towards me at an intense speed, tensing in preparation to protect his vulnerable son. I didn’t move from my spot at the foot of the boy’s bed, making myself calm and unfearful of the man before me.

“If you’ve come to take my son from me, reaper, you’re mistaken. The afterlife won’t be gaining his soul just yet.” the king warned me, the threat apparent in his voice, making me smile at his devotion.

“I can assure you, King Regis, I am not here to lead your son to the afterlife. But may I inquire what gave you that impression?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“You have the type of head wound that would kill a person, no matter how healed it appears. And the blood staining your collar and face is not subtracting from the grim appearance…” the king described to me, as I wasn’t aware that the wound that had sent me here had been present.

“Fair enough… But I am not a reaper, your Majesty.”

“Then what are you?” the man questioned, still not trusting me completely. I considered my answer carefully, not wanting to give away too much about my identity.

“I’m a Seer. I’ve been sent to make sure the prince lives so that fate may continue to run its course. You have no need to fear me, I will guide Noctis back to the light.” I offered Regis, willing him to see the honesty in my brown eyes. The king stared for a few moments, observing my form before heaving a tired sigh.

“If the astrals sent you, then do what you must to save my son.” he relented, allowing me to approach the boy as he collapsed into his chair.

“I promise, I will return him to you, and continue to watch over him after this, your Majesty.” I assured the weary king, receiving a tired nod before proceeding.

I sat on the boy’s left side, leaning over him to observe the pained and exhausted face of my only friend. Phantom tears began to well in my eyes before I was able to blink them away, falling from my translucent cheeks to land on his porcelain face. I pressed my lips to the hair hiding his forehead, allowing myself to be swallowed up by the prince’s dream world.


	7. Final Millennium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or Where Soo-Min Becomes a "Guardian Angel"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long, I've had a lot on my plate these past two weeks and this chapter was just not my best friend at all. It was painful to write at the best of times, but I got it done! And platinum demo time!  
> So please comment and leave kudos down below, I'd greatly appreciate it.  
> Chapter title taken from David Eman & Trevor DeMaere's "Final Millennium". Give it a listen while reading for the full effect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrWkh0ZiGUQ&index=7&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z

I found myself in the familiar forest of the dream world, looking around at the undisturbed environment that surrounded me. The leaves cast shadows across the forest floor, shifting with the wind as I walked along the path to the clearing that I knew lay ahead. I hummed a light tune as I travelled the familiar path, careful to avoid tree roots that would cause me to trip and fall like last time. I eventually came upon the clearing, approaching silently as the prince spoke with the small form of Carbuncle.

“I see you’re in good hands.” I said, trying my best to not startle the prince but failing, Noctis spinning around in shock at the sound of my voice. The phone he had in his hand went tumbling to the ground, sapphire eyes widening in surprise as I stood over the prince silently.

“You don’t need to be afraid of me, he’s probably the bigger threat.” I joked lightly, gesturing to Carbuncle, who yipped from his place a few feet away. The small guardian walked over to weave between my legs, displaying his familiarity with me as he looked at Noctis.

“Who are you?” I looked back to the prince, watching as he cautiously approached me. I offered him a soft smile before holding a hand out in greeting.

“Think of me as your guardian angel; I’m here to help you get home because people miss you.” I replied, not disclosing who I was to him but still giving him a trustworthy answer. Noctis stared for a heart beat longer, eventually clasping his hand in mine, giving it a tentative shake. 

My smile widened before the boy withdrew his hand and directed his attention to Carbuncle, who was yipping as he moved between our legs.   
“I think that’s our queue to get moving, since you need to get home.” I said, barely resting a hand on Noctis’ shoulder to guide him in the direction the smaller astral was running off in.

“If you’re my guardian angel, does that mean you died?” questioned the prince meekly, puffing out his cheeks as his arms swung as we walked. Blue eyes lingered on the dried blood that no doubt decorated my face and collar still, standing out against the stark white of my skin and the obnoxious yellow hew of my uniform jacket.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets, answering the prince as honestly as I could, “Yes, I did die…” I smiled thinly, diverting my gaze from the prince to look ahead.

“I was a girl once, nobody special really; an average high school student. But then one day, I fell and hit my head, and nobody was around to help me.” I gestured to the small astral walking in front of us before continuing, “He brought me to the other side, where I waited until the Draconian told me to help bring you back.”

Noctis remained silent for some time, leaving us to walk through the dreamscape surrounded by the sounds of the world around us.

We felt tremors beneath our feet as we passed under a ridge, my hand darting out to grasp the younger boy’s shoulder in order to steady him. An extremely large face slowly appeared from behind the ridge, peering down at us with its golden gaze.

Carbuncle yipped at us, Noctis pulling out the phone to see what the astral had to say.

‘Don’t worry about that guy. He may look scary, but he’s really a gentle giant!’ the fox-like astral proclaimed as the giant disappeared from sight in an orange light.

We continued to push forward, coming across a steep hill. I groaned slightly, internally lamenting about the dirt and grass stains that would soon paint my backside due to my uniform skirt. Noctis, lucky bastard, was dressed in the usual black and had pants, so the little prince could slide down the slope no problem.

As I tried to rub the dirt and grass stains from the backs of my thighs and ass, our rather silent trio wove our way between the large bodies of water that had gathered between the rocks. The raven-haired prince walked beside me in silence, pursing his lips slightly in thought before speaking. 

“Do you think your parents missed you, after you died?” I blinked in surprise at the sudden question, looking down at the boy with astonishment.

I took a moment to compose myself, replying quietly, “I think so. My mother was my best friend, and even though I didn’t spend a lot of time with my father because of his work, I know he loved me. If they loved me, they both must miss me now that I’m gone.”

“I bet my dad doesn’t miss me, he barely saw me anyways...” the prince muttered quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching his shoulders.

“Noctis Lucis Caelum, your father does miss you. All he does is sit by your bedside and pray to the gods for you to awake. So don’t you dare disregard the love he has for you, because there will come a day when you need his love and care, and your father won’t be there for you anymore,” I stated after coming to a sudden halt, my face feeling stiff as a small anger took ahold of me. The boy at my side stared up at me as I reprimanded him, his blue gaze widening in shock.

“Don’t throw away what family you still have, Noctis. You should treasure it while you still can, you never know when it will be taken from you,” I added, turning and following Carbuncle further down the path while the dark-haired boy trailed behind.

The small white astral had run ahead, yipping loudly as he jumped at the edge of a large lake nestled at the base of the rocky ravine we were in. Noctis pulled out the phone again to see what Carbuncle had discovered.

‘Found it! I found one of the exits! Follow my tail! Ready, set, jump!” the fox-like creature exclaimed before diving into the water and disappearing from sight. I sighed heavily, reluctantly following the astral into the pool and pulling the prince in behind me.

We ended up in a pet’s water bowl, as small as mice now. I rolled my eyes at how similar this was to my experience in my own dream world, although instead of landing in a classroom, we found ourselves in a dining room. Toys littered the floor and table, stacks of books being integrated into the toy structures that connected the chair to the floor and table.

I guided Noctis out of the water as Carbuncle yipped and surveyed the room.

‘So, uh… Where are we supposed to go next? Is the next door over here? Or was it over there?’ the astral yipped quietly, padding around the room in search of the next exit.

I shook my head lightly, walking to the center of the room while the creature wandered for a bit. Caught up in my own thoughts, I was startled when the younger boy pulled lightly on my jacket’s sleeve to get my attention.

“I’m sorry for what I said earlier, I didn’t mean what I said about my dad not missing me…” Noctis mumbled, ducking his head to avoid my gaze. I smiled at the prince, crouching down to his level to meet his downward gaze.

“Don’t apologize to me, just promise me you’ll show your dad how much you love him whenever you can, okay? Don’t waste the time you have with him.” I assured the boy in front of me, waiting for him to nod in understanding before standing up to my full height again.

Carbuncle’s excited yipping caught our attention as he jumped up onto the table.

‘I think I found it! The table top! Up here!’ 

I began to wander around the room to find a way up to the table, pulling Noctis along with me. We headed towards a stack of books and building blocks that was beside the table. I helped the younger boy up onto the books that were stacked higher up than Noctis could reach, pulling myself up after him.

It was a quick climb up from there, pairs of forks serving as a makeshift ramp between taller stacks of books. I grumbled the whole way up, shrugging off my school jacket once we had made it onto the dining table. I folded it over my arm while watching Noctis approach the next door.

“Do you think this is the final exit or will it just go on forever?” the young prince asked me, stopping before the golden ring that would lead us forward. I looked down at the eight year old, offering a hopeful smile.

“It can’t go on forever, since there is for sure an exit. It’ll be where you feel safest in the waking world.” I assured Noctis, walking confidently into the door and being surrounded by darkness.

I found myself stepping out onto a terrace situated in an empty city, the young prince stepping up beside me as I took in the beautiful architecture of the buildings around us. The view was absolutely breathtaking, even in the misty weather that the dreamscape was creating.

“Do you know where we are, Noctis?” I asked the prince in a hushed tone, awe filling me as my brown eyes took in all the beautiful arches and colours of the city.

“I think it’s supposed to be the upper levels of Altissa. I’ve never been there before, but my dad has told me stories about the city and what it looks like,” the ebony haired boy replied, looking to Carbuncle who padded in front of us, now back to his regular size.

‘We’re looking for a long hallway now. It’ll lead to the end of your dream. Let’s get a move on!’ the astral yipped excitedly, not sparing any time in bolting up the stairs to our right and going further into the dreamscape city.

We chased after him, the fox-like creature leading us up countless flights of stairs in search of the end of the dreamscape. I clutched my torso in response to the cramps that began to take a hold over my lungs, bending slightly at the waist as I panted for breath.

I dropped down to sit on a stone bench once had reached the top of the last set of stairs, attempting to slow my heart rate. Carbuncle led the young prince over to an empty hallway, giving a happy yip as he ran through it.

‘Aha! This must be it! Up ahead is where your dream ends: the one place you feel safest.’

The prince and I stood at the entrance to the hall, staring at the bright door placed at it’s end.

“So, are you ready to see everybody again?” I enquired as I slipped my school jacket back on. Noctis looked up at me with his big blue eyes, a frown decorating his mouth and brow.

“What’ll happen to you after I wake up?” I blinked owlishly down at the raven haired prince.

“Well, you won’t be able to see me, but I’ll always be there watching out for you. And if Carbuncle lets me, I’ll visit you in your dreams sometimes. I’m your guardian angel; I can’t just disappear on you,” I assured my friend, resting a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

With a nod, Noctis faced the doorway and said, “Okay, then it’s time to wake up.”

We quickly walked down the hall, moving ourselves closer to the white light and allowing it to envelope us. It eventually faded until it was just the sunlight minorly blinding us, making me wince and shield my eyes. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed that we were now standing in a place that I recognized from the waking world.

‘It’s the Citadel,’ Carbuncle stated, trotting down the stairs to look around with Noctis and I following, ‘Something doesn’t feel right… It’s your home and all…but is it truly your safe place?’ the little astral questioned, looking to Noctis for some answers.

None of us could have expected a sword materializing and sending Carbuncle across the courtyard with one swing. I pulled the younger boy behind me, placing myself between him and the daemon that manifested.

“Noctis, when I tell you to run, grab him and go, okay! Get as far from here as you can, this isn’t just a nightmare; it’s the scourge keeping you here.” I yelled at the boy behind me, going down the steps at a jog before launching myself at the daemon.

_Blessed stars of life and light, deliver us from darkness blight._

The whispered prayer that drifted through my head startled me, distracting me from the daemon in front of me. I could do nothing as the monster swept me up into its grasp and started to squeeze the life out of me.

I screamed in pain, the daemon’s grip slowly crushing my bones and cutting off my air.

“Noctis, run!” I gasped, feeling my ribs crack under the pressure and screaming violently.

My head was slowly going fuzzy and dark because of the pain, barely comprehending the prince’s denial of, “No! I’m not afraid!” 

As darkness was slowly beginning to consume my vision entirely, I was tossed to the side by the daemon, pulling a shriek of pain from my nearly unconscious form. 

I struggled to breathe as colours blurred in front of me, trying to focus on the massive form of the monster as it thundered around the courtyard. The dreamscape kept fading in and out of my vision as I was sprawled on the ground, darkness creeping across my sight. I could faintly hear Carbuncle yipping before unfamiliar hands were holding me and carefully moving me onto my back. I could barely make out the voice of the person above me, let alone their face. 

However, when calloused fingertips brushed my skin, I gasped as white noise filled my head and images flashed before me—a burning meadow, a girl in white slowly fading into the distance, and Noctis reaching out to her and screaming.

I coughed as air filled my lungs, no pain afflicting me when I breathed. Noctis sat at my side, his small hands hovering as he worried his lip between his teeth. I smiled softly at the prince before sitting up with a groan, allowing the younger boy to help me stand as I looked at the small astral by his side.

“Why did you do that?” the prince whispered, looking to the ground, “You could have been killed…” 

“It’s my duty to protect you...I’m your guardian angel after all…” I smiled fondly at Noctis ruffling the boy’s dark locks.

Carbuncle yipped to gain our attention, jumping around our feet.

‘You did it! Now you can finally wake up!’ I sighed in relief, glad that we had managed to reach the end of the dreamscape. A loud pop sounded, a regal black car appearing from smoke a few steps away from where we stood.

‘Hey, that’s your dad’s car, isn’t? Now I get it… THAT’s your safe place! You can always be with your dad when you’re riding in his car.’ Carbuncle walked towards the vehicle, waiting for Noctis and I to follow.

“I guess this is it, huh?” the prince offered, his blue eyes staring up at me, saddened by our parting.

“Hey, I told you. I’m always watching over you, kiddo. You can’t see me but I’ll be there.” I rested my hand on his cheek, trying to lighten his spirits a little. “I’ll see you in your dreams sometimes, especially when you need me the most, okay?”

The dark haired boy nodded gently in understanding, pausing before wrapping his arms around my waist in a firm hug.

“Thank you,” the prince whispered, my hands holding him close.

“I’ll see you soon, Noctis…” I replied, squeezing him tightly and releasing him to go to the astral.

‘Everyone’s waiting for you.’ Carbuncle squeaked as Noctis opened the back door of the car. The prince crouched down to face the astral, waving to him. 

“Thanks. See you.”

‘You bet! Now, in you go.’ the boy stepped into his father’s car, sliding across the seat and shutting the door behind him. The car slowly faded from sight, signalling Noctis was returning to the waking world.

‘Time for you to go home too. He’ll want to see you when he wakes up.’ the fox-like astral said from his spot at my feet, nosing my ankle as I watched the car disappear entirely.

“I guess you’re right. Thanks for letting me help.” I thanked Carbuncle, petting his head gently.

‘You’re welcome, now off you go!’ he reprimanded in his little yip, making me laugh as I slowly willed myself to wake up, the dreamscape fading from my sight and replaced by darkness.


	8. My Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or Where Soo-Min Feels Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so freaking long! I honestly didn't intend to take so long. I'm planning to do a full rundown of why this took forever to be posted and the upcoming delays with future updates in a tumblr post, so check me out at https://cherryblossomcheesecake.tumblr.com/  
> Also, chapter title is Lee Hi's "My Love (Insturmental)": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5-gMO9GgcM&index=8&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z  
> Anything italicized is korean/hangul/goryean.

Today was the first time I was able to see Noctis in two weeks after the boy had awakened. We had both been confined to bed for some time, however I had started my physical therapy earlier than the prince. I was walking with crutches until my legs grew strong again; Noctis wasn’t as lucky, and was still confined to a wheelchair within the citadel.

I sat in a cushioned chair across from the younger boy, my crutches leaning against the chair as Noctis and I looked at each other in silence. It was strange to see a boy who was once so full of cheer and light, looking so drained and unhappy.

I stared into sapphire eyes that now lacked a healthy glimmer, and cleared my throat to speak.

“How are you, Noctis?”

The prince blinked slowly, sighing as he replied, “I wish people would stop asking me that… I’m probably never going to walk again, and everyone knows it, so what’s the point…”

I offered a small smile to my friend, feeling sad at the thought of never being able to run through the gardens with the prince in a game of tag again.

“While I’m sad to hear that, I was asking after your mental health; your body can heal when taken care of, however the mind is often left behind.” I elaborated, reaching across to rest a hand on top of Noctis’. “How are you feeling?”

“Empty… And afraid. I keep seeing all their faces, they come to me in my dreams, and say it’s my fault they died. Even Lyssa…” the prince whispered, his hand trembling under mine.

“You know that’s not true… The daemon attack wasn’t your fault, it could have happened to anyone.” I gave his hand an assuring squeeze, “Have you talked to your father about your nightmares?”

Blue eyes continued to stare down at the carpet, never rising as the prince shook his dark head.

“No, Dad’s been busy enough with talking to my doctors and his usual duties… He’s trying to arrange for us to go to Tenebrae… To see if the Oracle can heal me so that I can walk again… I can’t bother him anymore than I already have with all that’s happened.”

I sighed, pulling my hand away from the younger boy to lean against the arm of my chair.

“Then will you at least tell me if the dreams continue and if they get worse? I’m not your father, but maybe talking about it will help.” I offered, hoping that Noctis would actually take my offer and not just agree to appease me. I continued to stare the prince down until his blue eyes met my gaze, and nodded sullenly.

I smiled gently at the dark haired boy before grabbing my crutches in order to stand. I slowly began to hobble across the room only to be stopped by Noctis’ hand when he placed it on my arm. Resting my weight on the crutches, I looked down at my younger friend in worry.

“When I go to Tenebrae, will you come with me? I know that the oracle has children but they’re both older than me and I don’t want to be alone there...so if I ask dad, will you come?”

I stared into his sapphire blue eyes, and saw the loneliness and fear that had taken up residence in his eyes. I wanted to make him smile again, and hear him laugh like he use to.

“Of course I’ll go with you. Where you go, I go. The Gods themselves would have to order me from your side if you do not do it yourself.” I assured him, quoting my promise from my first day of school in this world.

This brought a weak smile to Noctis’ face as he nodded and leaned back into his wheelchair, allowing me to leave the room at my slow pace. 

* * *

 

I was alone in the living room at home, using the family laptop to look at pictures I had saved on my phone from my past life. It was late at night, making the house silent save for the midnight traffic that filled the city. I had already managed to print off a few of my family photos, and was trying to decide on which photos I would like to keep of my friends before I tossed the phone.

I had experienced a close call the other day with Myung-Hee almost discovering the device when she was cleaning my room, so I had decided to throw it out to keep it from happening again. I was carefully choosing photos that had meaning and important memories attached to them.

The last picture slid out of the printer before I wiped the SD card and the phone’s memory. I stuffed the phone, and the usb cable into a plastic shopping bag before stuffing it into the bottom of garbage in the kitchen. I turned the laptop and printer off, collecting my photos as I limped quietly to my room.

I closed the door behind me and hobbled over to my desk to collapse into the chair, setting the pictures on the desk’s surface. I began labelling the photos on the back in hangul, writing down who was in it and the event it was taken at.

 _The Avery-Lee Family Photo, 2016: Dad, Eomma, & Soo-Min… _  
First Day at School of Performing Arts Seoul, 2015: Kun Shi-Won & Avery-Lee Soo-Min…  
Jeondongjin Beach Sunrise Festival, 2016: Kun Shi-Won, Sol Min-Yun, Pan Eun-Ji, Cho Dae-Jung, Nam Daniel, Kwon Seong-Jin, & Avery-Lee Soo-Min…  
_New Year’s Eve, 2016: Dad, Eomma, & Soo-Min… _ _  
_ SPAS Hip-Hop Class, 2016: Nam Daniel, Pan Eun-Ji, Cho Dae-Jung, Kwon Seong-Jin, & Avery-Lee Soo-Min…

I labelled all the photos before tucking them into an envelope and hiding them in the pages of a book. I wouldn’t touch them again until they needed to be moved or I forgot their faces and needed to remember.

I stared at the book that hid away the remaining pieces of my past life, brushing small fingers against the spine as I rose from my chair and walked slowly to climb into bed. I bundled up my thick comforter around my small body, my brown eyes never straying from the book until I drifted off to sleep.

I was immediately thrown into the dreamscape, although it was different from the past two times I had been allowed entry.

It was the daemon attack all over again.

The fires set the inky black night sky aflame, illuminating the mutilated and bloody corpses of dead Crownsguard and Lyssa. And in the center of the nightmare, was Noctis, petrified by the illusions before him.

I sprinted over towards the small boy, wrapping my arms around him in a tight hug.

”It’s just a dream, Noctis. Remember, you’re king here, you control what happens.” I whispered in his ear, drawing a faint gasp from the boy, his teary eyes finding mine before clenching shut.

“You can make them disappear.”

“Go away, go away…” the prince spit out between his teeth, his jaw locked as he clung to my arms.

“Imagine somewhere calm and peaceful… Somewhere with no daemons and no death…”

The change in scenery was swift, the blood of the dead fading into sand as the sound of waves overpowered the crackling flames, and the night sky was coloured by the dawn.

“Open your eyes, Noctis. It’s safe now.” I assured the young boy, releasing him from the hug to rest my hands on his shoulder.

Blue eyes slowly peeked open and took in the sunrise, before they whirled around to land on me. Thin arms encircled my waist, hugging me tightly as I pet silky black hair.

“Thank you” the prince mumbled into my school blazer, hugging me tighter.

“I’ll always be here to help keep away the bad dreams, Noctis… I’ll come to you no matter what, good or bad.”

The dark-haired boy grinned widely at me, the first real smile I had seen in ages lighting up his face. And it made me happy.

I allowed the young boy to pull me across the sandy beach to play in the green-blue waters of the ocean, the pair of us stripping our shoes and socks before rushing in.

I screeched at the freezing cold temperature, Noctis laughing at me until I also succumbed to laughter. I splashed the young prince lightly, starting a water fight with the dark-haired boy.

We quickly became soaked, our clothes heavy with sea water after Noctis had tackled my waist and pulled me down under water. I waded towards the shore, collapsing in the sand as the waves lapped at my toes.

The prince sat beside me, staring across the blue ocean, taking in the calmness of the dreamscape.

“You’ll always be here waiting for me, right?”

I nodded my head in response to his question, allowing him to lean against my side, feeling the pull of the waking world at the edge of my conscious.

“Of course, that’s what friends are for…”

* * *

 

The next day, I sat at the kitchen table eating lunch, watching Myung-Hee and Aetius talk in the living room about the royal family’s impending visit to Tenebrae. My adoptive father had been among the Crownsguard selected to go along with the party, and I was to leave with them to receive the oracle’s healing (at the request of Noctis). However my mother was reluctant to let us leave the city without her.

“I don’t care if I wasn’t among the prince’s listed caretakers for the journey, I’m not letting you or Soo-Min leave this city without me after that daemon attack. I’ll speak to the king myself if I need to. Our family is not going to be separated again.” Myung-Hee insisted, staring Aetius dead in the eye.

My father sighed, rubbing his hand down his face in exhaustion.

“I’ll speak with the people in charge about you being concerned with Soo-Min leaving Insomnia without you… Perhaps they’ll understand… But regardless of what happens, I think going to Tenebrae is what’s best for our daughter. She still can’t walk properly and the oracle might be able to help her.” Aetius grumbled, leaning his forearms on his knees, “Whether or not you end up accompanying the party, her belongings need to be packed before the end of this week.”

Myung-Hee’s tense form relaxed slightly, nodding to my father in reluctant acceptance. She rose from the couch with her usual grace, beckoning me from the kitchen.

“Come, Soo-Min. We must start packing for you, you’ll want to look your best for the royal family of Tenebrae.”

I slid out of my chair and obediently followed my mother down the hall to my bedroom, using the walls as support as I limped. I was greeted in my room by her sorting through my closet, favouring my heavier hanboks over the ones I usually wore. While the summer weather in Insomnia hadn’t changed despite it being well into September, Tenebrae was further north and would most likely be already experiencing cold autumn temperatures.

I started to pack up my clothes in the suitcase Myung-Hee had set on my bed, letting her decide what was suitable for the trip. I had a few plain hanboks with simple designs in white and pink, teal and purple, grey and black, all with simple embroidery like flowers and plants. The more fancy clothes came in tones of peach, wine red, dark grey, and lavender, all decorated with more elaborate embroidery than the last selection.

I watched Myung-Hee as she began packing underclothes and shoes, tucking them neatly into their respectable spots.

“Will you still let me go to Tenebrae even if you can’t come with us?” I asked curiously as I laid on my bed, my words causing my mother to freeze.

She sighed before replying, “As much as I don’t like the thought of you leaving the city without me again, your father’s right. The oracle can help you as much as she can the prince, and I can’t take away that opportunity from you just because I’m afraid of what could happen.”

I nodded quietly, having a feeling that whoever was organizing the journey to Tenebrae wasn’t going to be quite as understanding as my mother hoped. I picked at a loose thread on my quilt, letting Myung-Hee continue to pack in silence.

* * *

 

When Aetius and I departed from Insomnia, we were without Myung-Hee. The feeling I had a week ago when she had packed my clothes was correct, whoever had been in charge had not been sympathetic to her concerns, leaving her at the citadel’s steps as we began the long trip to Tenebrae.

I had been allowed to ride with Noctis and his father, the king’s shield, Clarus, sat in the passenger seat while my father was given the task of driving. The barren landscape of Duscae flew past as the convoy travelled across the outer territories of Lucis, little conversation occurring besides the adults occasionally making small talk.

Noctis had taken to being curled up against his father’s side, enjoying being with the king for such an extended period of time. I divided my time between watching the prince and reading a novel I had brought for the journey, humming songs I remembered from my past life.

I had been so caught up in my own little world that I jumped at hearing my name.

“Soo-Min, what song are you humming, child? I don’t seem to recognize the tune.” the king asked, his deep voice stirring Noctis from his dozing.

I looked to the man with an expression similar to a deer in headlights, opening and closing my mouth a few times before completely bullshitting an answer.

“I’m not entirely sure, your Majesty. I just know it from before I hit my head.” I replied, clutching the book like a lifeline.

“How unfortunate, do you know the words perhaps? We could do with some music on this long trip.”

I stuttered out quietly, looking away from his green gaze. “I-I do, but I… But I’m not the best singer…”

Noctis’ father merely chuckled at this, stroking his son’s head gently before stating, “I find that nothing can compare to the singing voices of children…” The king looked fondly at his son and eventually turned his gaze on me.

I swallowed silently, marking the page and closing my book before clearing my throat.

“Okay...I’ll do my best then…” I took a deep breath to calm myself before beginning.

“ _I always watched over you from afar, Because you seemed like my love. I thought you felt the same way, Although you were looking somewhere else. Like the wind, like the dust, I can’t catch you, I can’t see you._ ” My voice trembled and quivered as I adjusted to my new vocal range, slowly growing used to the higher pitch and softer tone.  
“ Remember love you, I love you. I believed it was love, I called it destiny. Remember love you, I love you. I am living in your eyes, Only answer to you. Hold onto me when I’m swaying, My love, my love.  
_The tears that fall, Down the window of my heart. They answer me; You’re someone who I can’t have. A person I have to forget. My love is getting farther away. I need to let you go, Because it’s not me.  
_ Remember love you, I love you. I believed it was love, I called it destiny. Remember love you, I love you. I am living in your eyes, Only answer to you. Hold onto me when I’m swaying, My love, my love.”

I finished the song softly, letting it fade away into the silence of the car. I sat nervously, waiting for one of the adults to speak.

Clarus eventually spoke, turning to face my father.

“I was unaware your daughter was so talented, Farron. Does she receive lessons?” the shield inquired, resting his chin on a large fist.

“I am as surprised as you are, sir. I didn’t know Soo-Min could sing.” Aetius replied, staring at me in the rearview mirror. I looked down at my lap, avoiding his pale gaze by fiddling with my book.

“You’re amazing Soo… What were you singing about? It sounded sad.” Noctis questioned, his voice coloured by sleep.

I smiled at my friend, taking in his rumpled state.

“It was about a girl who fell in love with a man, but she couldn’t be with him because she was being hurt by his choices...so she decided to say goodbye to their love.” I summarized, thinking about the drama that the song had been written for.

“That’s not fair…she loved him only to be hurt by him…” the prince whispered, slowly falling back to sleep.

“No, it isn’t.” His father replied, his green eyes fixing me with a penetrating stare, making my heart jump into my throat.

I looked away swiftly, opening my book again and attempting to read with the gaze of the king burning into me.


	9. The Breaking of the Fellowship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or where Soo-Min gets cornered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is a filler chapter while also slowly leading up to the unavoidable Tenebrae incident. it's a little on the short side but i stopped at the 2,000 minimum mark and it seemed like a good cut off point. I'm also doing another note at the bottom as a sort of clarification for the direction I went in when portraying certain characters.  
> so this chapter title is taken from howard shore's "the breaking of the fellowship". lord of the rings is bomb af https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ9NOV3KNpY&index=9&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z.  
> drop by my tumblr and chat with me or leave a request, @cherryblossomcheesecake.

The journey to Tenebrae was quite long, lasting a few days as we passed through the outer territories of Lucis. Moments of respite came when we approached outposts close to meal times, and needed to refuel. We usually spent the night in motels at outposts, spending a single night at the Leville in Lestallum when we passed through the city.   
I had just finished my novel when we reached the border of Tenebrae. I closed my book in favour of watching the landscape change as it passed by. Rather than being flat grassy plains or a desert, Tenebrae was slowly becoming an unending forest with tree covered mountains in the distance.   
The further into the kingdom we travelled, the more populated it became—small cities littered the mountain sides, people going about their day as they stopped to stare at the procession of black cars crawl by. 

The car eventually came to a stop, a fair distance away from what could only be the palace of Tenebrae. I was assisted in stepping out of the car, doing my best to avoid ruining the nice peach-pink and golden-cream coloured hanbok I had dressed in that morning while balancing on my crutches.

I marveled at the beauty of Tenebrae’s palace, awed by the white structure that had vasts amounts of nature woven around it. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, as if a tolkien elf was just going to appear from around the corner.

I was thrown from my awe when my father’s hand came to rest on my shoulder, prompting me to look up at him. 

He leaned down to be level with my ear, whispering quietly, “If you get too tired from walking, let me know.”

I nodded my head in response, shifting my weight slightly as servants and guards appeared to take care of the luggage and escort us to the royal family. The pace was rather slow due to my crutches, however the adults didn’t seem to care much as Noctis’ wheelchair was traveling at the same pace as I was.

We approached an intricate archway, the hall opening up into a beautiful green garden filled with people. The murmurs of the crowd stirred at the sight of the king and Noctis, the people clearing a path across the room for the party. 

Standing elegantly at the end of the path was what I could only assume was the royal family, looking tall and proud amongst the greenery of their kingdom. The queen stood between her two children, dressed in a gown of gold and blue, as the prince and princess wore white in contrast.

King Regis came to a halt at a respectful distance from the royal family, Noctis at his side while my father and I stood a few steps behind. I stared at the queen and her children silently, taking in their pale features before looking to the grass at my feet.

“Welcome, King Regis. We have been awaiting your arrival.” the queen announced, formality colouring her voice. She nodded respectfully to the king, who responded in the same manner.

“Thank you, Queen Sylva. My company and I are grateful that you have allowed my son and his friend to recover here in your beautiful kingdom.” 

The queen smiled warmly, nodding at Noctis’ father before gesturing to her children.   
“Allow me to introduce my children; this is Ravus, and Lunafreya.” both blondes bowed their heads respectfully as they were introduced, both of them resembling their mother greatly.

The king smiled at the Tenebraen heirs, gesturing to Noctis as well.

“And this is my son, Noctis, as well as his friend Soo-Min. Thank you for offering your assistance in their recovery.”

Eyes the colour of ice locked onto mine, the gaze of the queen keeping me in place as she stared at me. A chill ran down my spine as her brow furrowed and her gaze became guarded.

“Of course, Regis. It is an honour to help our friends in their time of need.” queen Sylva replied, her eyes never once leaving me as she rested a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

“The children must be exhausted from the long journey, please allow Lunafreya to escort them to their rooms to rest.”

Noctis’ father looked to his son, taking in the boy’s weary appearance before nodding, my father doing the same.

The princess stepped away from her mother’s side and smiled at Noctis as she slipped behind his wheelchair and grabbed the handles. Turning the boy around, Lunafreya smiled kindly at me before speaking.

“Please follow me and let me know if I’m going too fast,” she said, pushing Noctis towards the garden’s exit as I trailed behind.

The princess talked about the palace and the daily ongoings that happened within. 

“Breakfast usually comes around at nine in the morning, lunch is usually served in the gardens at twelve, and dinner is taken in the dining hall at five. We’ll most likely be together for the duration of your stay here, so you won’t have to worry about getting lost.”

I didn’t really contribute to the conversation until the topic of our recovery and treatment came up.

“Mother will probably begin treating your wounds once you’ve settled in, the healing can be exhausting so you want to be fully prepared and rested before.” I looked to the blonde girl as I kept pace with her on my crutches.

“Who do you think she’ll begin with, princess Lunafreya?” I asked anxiously, still unnerved by her mother’s stare. 

“Oh, just call me Luna, titles aren’t necessary since we’ll be spending a lot of time together. And mother will probably work with Noctis first since he has more damage to fix than you.” Luna answered, smiling brightly at me. I offered a tentative one in return, nodding to show I understood.

We came to a pair of white and gold doors, the princess moving to open the doors and wheel Noctis inside. I followed closely, looking around in awe at the room.

The walls were creamy white with golden inlay, and most of the furniture was made from a dark wood. Hues of blue coloured the room in the form of random objects, such as a pillow, blanket or even as flowers. Windows stretched from floor to ceiling, bathing the room in warm sunlight.

Luna turned to face me, a smile still covering her face.

“This is your room.” she told me, gesturing to the bed and surrounding space, “Noctis and the king will be just down the hall, and your father will be across the hall.”

I smiled in gratitude, shifting my weight on my crutches before replying.

“Thank you, Luna. You’ve been so kind, I don’t know how to repay you.”

The princess nodded lightly, her hands gripping Noctis’ wheelchair. The younger boy looked between the blonde and I, worrying his lip between his teeth.

“Will you come find me after you wake up?” the dark-hair prince asked me, his blue eyes looking at me pleadingly.

“Of course, Noctis. I’ll come to you after we’ve both rested.” I assured him, resting a hand on Noctis’ shoulder before Luna began wheeling him out the door.

I sighed lightly as the double doors closed, slowly making my way over to the side of the bed. I sat down on the blue comforter, placing my crutches on the floor beside the bed. I fell sideways, my head landing on the pillows as I rubbed my forehead gently. 

The stress of my secret was getting to me, making me paranoid. First the king’s reaction after I stupidly decided to sing that song, and then the queen looking at me so strangely for no reason. It could all mean nothing, but also mean something. 

Anxiety brewed in my stomach, causing me to curl up and attempt to sleep, trying to keep my mind clear of this mess.

* * *

 

I woke up suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck rising as I shot up from where I lay on the bed. My eyes darted around the white room before landing one the white form of Luna, my hand grasping my chest in shock.

“Luna, you scared me.” I whispered to the older girl, rubbing my chest to try and calm my heart rate.

The princess stared at me, her lips frowning slightly as she sat in her chair. Blue eyes flicked over me before settling on my face.

“You are not who you say you are.” Luna bluntly stated, her tone flat and sharp like a knife.

I froze, staring at the blonde in shock as she continued.

“You have another form, I can see it, my mother can see it… We know you’re not who you say you are, so what are your intentions with Noctis?” Luna’s face became stoney, a quiet fury slowly bleeding into her voice as she mentioned Noctis.

I gaped like a fish, lost for an answer. The princess rose from her chair, slowly approaching the bed while I scrambled as far up the bed as possible.

My saving grace came when the blonde was inches away from me, a cool voice stopping her in her tracks.

“Lady Lunafreya, please step away from the girl.” Luna jerked away from me, spinning around to face a pale, dark haired woman who had appeared out of nowhere.

“Gentiana!” the princess cried out, addressing the newcomer.

I took this opportunity to shift over to the opposite side of the bed, putting as much distance between Luna and myself.

“Please don’t fret over the girl’s intentions towards the Chosen King. She is as I am; a messenger of the gods and a guide for the young Noctis.” Gentiana explained, causing the blonde to look over at me in shock.

“It’s true… I made a deal with the Draconian—I act as a guide for Noctis as payment for bring him back from his scourge induced coma…” I whispered, looking down at my hands as they twisted together.

“But your true form, you have blood on you…” Luna trailed off, her skin paling mostly likely at the thought of the bloody gash on my head.

I sighed lightly, looking up to stare out the window.

“I died. I was born in another world. One day, I hit my head while on my way home from school and died, only to wake up and find myself here, as an eight year old.” 

“Oh, Six…” the blonde trailed off, collapsing on the edge of the bed, “I’m so sorry, Soo-Min… I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions…” 

“Who else knows?” I ask, wanting to know the extent of the damage. The princess stared at me, wide eyed.

“Only mother. She’s the oracle and I’m her successor, if I can see your true form, she can too.” Luna answered honestly, her voice quiet as she watched me carefully.

I sighed lightly, rubbing my face roughly while I lay back down on my side.

“Will she tell anyone else?” I asked quietly, covering my eyes with my arm.

“No, she’ll probably speak to you first. She might keep it to herself if you ask her to.” Luna offered, shifting on the bed uncomfortably.

I huffed before sitting up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I stared at the floor and smoothed out the wrinkles in my hanbok. Looking over at the blonde princess, I noticed that the woman, Gentiana was missing. Meeting the blue gaze of the older girl, I watched as she stared at me in pity.

“Can you bring me my crutches please? I’d like to go check on Noctis.” Luna nodded at my request, pinking up my crutches and bringing them over to my side of the bed.

I used my crutches as leverage to stand, letting Luna balance me with her hands on my waist.

I slowly made my way across the room, the princess following me at a similar pace. I allowed her to open the door and guide me down the hall to where Noctis slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so luna is very in soo's face about her being a potential threat to noctis in this chapter. i decided to go with this approach because as displayed in the game/movie/anime, luna is depicted as v passionate about her duty to noctis and protecting him. now take that passion, put it in a teenager and throw a in wild card individual who looks threatening and wasn't a part of the prophecy. teens get ahead of themselves v easily, and jump to conclusions, and i don't think luna is exempt from that. hence the reaction.


	10. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or Where Soo Begins to Open Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there isn't much to say about this chapter other than we're quickly wrapping up this story. One chapter left after this. the story should be wrapped up by Sunday, then I'm off on holidays for a week and the sequal will be posted by July 28th.  
> So this chapter's title is taken from Alan Menken’s opening piece from the animated film, Beauty and the Beast. It fit the mood just right and I consider this point in the story the prologue of Soo-Min’s journey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3JmvKM2k2o&index=10&list=PL-dBVheORzpDpHMa2aO0K019mVaCStD5Z  
> As always my tumblr is cherryblossomcheesecake, and I'm open for requests.

I stared into the blue eyes of the oracle, queen Sylva, watching her as she gazed at whatever she saw in place of my eight year old form. I shifted uncomfortably, looking around the queen’s study to avoid those pale eyes.

The study was similar in design to the rest of Fenestala Manor—white architecture accented by gold, with splashes of sylleblossom blue here and there. The study was pristine, not a book or cushion out of place.

The oracle hummed lightly before speaking, drawing my gaze back to her.

“How long have you been hiding in this body?”

My mind scrambled for the date of my arrival in Eos, eventually settling on “Late July”.

“I thought so,” queen Sylva said, more to herself than me, scratching a few notes into a leather journal, “I sensed a strange presence entering the world around that time and was never able to determine what it was. It only grew stronger following the prince’s accident.”

I could feel the unspoken question hanging in the air, answering carefully.

“I confronted the gods after the accident; I wanted to help Noctis. The draconian gave me the ability to bring him back to the waking world, in return, he made me a Seer to guide the prince to his destiny.”

The blonde queen froze in her note-taking, staring at the page in shock as ink blotted the paper.

“And do you know what he is destined for? Have the gods granted you visions of it?” the oracle questioned cautiously, removing her pen from the paper to lace her fingers together.

“No. I’ve only seen bits and pieces of things, images of the next year or so I think…” I furrowed my brow as I thought about the vision I had in the dreamscape, “There was fire; a meadow was burning. Then a girl in white, fading into the distance… Lunafreya maybe? Noctis was crying and reaching for her…”

“So prince Noctis and the girl we are assuming to be my daughter look relatively the same as they do now, putting these events within the remainder of the year.” queen Sylva observed, leaning back into her seat.

“And the meaning of the vision itself could be metaphorical as well. While the images shown depict violent and dangerous circumstances in the future, it could also be a warning of the emotional state Noctis will be put through when the party departs from Tenebrae.” I offered, thinking back on the vision and it’s possible interpretation.

The queen’s blonde eyebrows rose in surprise, looking to me curiously.

“My school’s literature teacher always said gods are never clear in their messages, that the answer usually needs to be found within what they show. But regardless of whether or not it’s literal or metaphorical, I’m not allowed to try and change anything…” I trailed off, looking to the floor as I bit my lip.

“We can only hope nothing ill will come from this vision. Now, we have spent enough time on this; we should begin your therapy.” queen Sylva stated, closing her journal and setting it aside.

I moved to lay on my front, allowing the oracle access to the injury across the backs of my thighs. I felt the drag of my skirt against my skin as she drew it upwards, setting it just above the scarring injury. Warm fingers carefully grazed the edges of the cut, a warmth pooling under the scar tissue as the oracle whispered under her breath.

“There is no trace of the scourge, not even a lingering infection.” she commented, dragging her fingers along the length of the cut.

“The draconian said I was unable to contract the scourge because my soul isn’t from this world. That the light from my star burned it away the moment it tried to take root.” I explained, nestling my cheek against the couch cushion.

The queen hummed in response, focusing on the healing as she replied, “It will be easier to mend your muscles then, as I won’t be fighting the remnants of the scourge as I heal you. You are much luckier than the prince.”

I frowned at that, my small hand turning into fists as I quietly whispered, “Yeah, I am…” for lapsing into silence.

* * *

 I sat on a bench in one of the manor gardens, watching as Luna taught Noctis to make flower chains from sylleblossoms. The younger boy was slowly smiling more, the princess bringing happiness back to his sapphire eyes once more as she drew him out of his shell.

The blonde looked up at me, her gaze understanding as she wove flowers together without a thought. I nodded to Luna in response, brown eyes meeting blue as I rolled the stem of a flower between my fingers.

The older girl had slowly become my friend through tentative conversation whenever Noctis had fallen asleep, curious to know my life from before. Luna and I had a mutual respect for each other, both of us meant to guide Noctis to his destiny through communicating with the gods. There had originally been some lingering tension and awkwardness following her confrontation after the Lucian party’s arrival, however it slowly faded as I spoke with her and the queen more often, and we came to understand each other.

Luna began wheeling Noctis over to the bench where I sat, a crown of sylleblossoms resting on the prince’s lap. I smiled warmly as the duo approached, opening my mouth to speak before abruptly shutting it as Noctis stretched up and delicately placed the flower crown on my head.

I blinked owlishly at the young prince, my hand coming up to touch the soft petals.

“You looked like you needed some cheering up, you’ve been so serious since we came to Tenebrae.” the dark haired boy offered in explanation at my confused expression. Luna smiled her otherworldly serene smile from where she stood behind Noctis.

“Blue is a lovely colour on you, especially sylleblossom blue.” the princess complemented, moving to sit beside me on the bench.

“Thank you, Luna. Although I do think it would suit Noctis better, since he has those great big, blue eyes and wears nothing but black all the time.” I replied cheekily, tucking the blossom in my hand behind the boy’s ear.

The three of us laughed freely, Luna bending over the edge of the bench to pluck another blossom from the garden and place it behind her ear.

“Now we all match.” she exclaimed, fueling our laughter until a servant entered the autumn-chilled garden to fetch us for dinner.

On our way to the dining hall, Luna leaned to the side slightly, whispering quietly in my ear.

“After Noctis retires for the night, come to my room.” the blonde breathed, pulling away quickly to answer one of Noctis’ questions. I didn’t falter in my step, leaning against my remaining crutch as we continued down the hall.

* * *

 I quietly opened the door to Luna’s room, poking my head in to see the blonde princess reading on a chaise-lounge by her window. The soft lamp light that filled her room gave the area a warm glow as I stepped in.

Luna’s head rose to look at me as I closed the door, watching as I slowly walked over.

“You’re recovering quickly.” the older girl observed as I sat next to her on the chaise.

I sighed lightly before replying, “All thanks to your mother, and my apparent luck.”

“Yes, you do seem to have an abundance of that. Thank you for coming to see me.” Luna commented, closing her book after marking her place.

“The Lucian party will be leaving in a few days, since you’re making a fast recovery and Noctis is much more likely to walk again after returning to proper therapy.” the princess stated, turning slightly to face me.

“Is that why you wanted me to come see you?” I questioned, raising a brow.

“That was one of the reasons. I have a way of communicating with Noctis while we’re apart, but I was wondering if you would also like to keep in touch. I’m sending Umbra to get messages to and from Noctis. Perhaps we could use Pryna?” Luna continued, gesturing to the pair of dogs that lay on top of her bed.

I thought quietly to myself for a moment, considering the options.

“Well, that would work. I have one other way we could possibly contact each other, but I’m not 100% sure if it’ll work…” I mused, furrowing my brow as I thought about it.

“What is it?” the blonde asked excitedly, leaning towards me.

“When I approached Bahamut about bringing Noctis out of his coma, he gave me to ability to go into the dreamscape and speak to him. I could possibly be able to communicate with you through your dreams.” I offered, toying with the possibility of it working.

“How would we test it?” Luna questioned, placing her book on the end table.

“Well, if you fall asleep wanting me to enter your dream, I should be able to just come right into it once I fall asleep.” I answered, thinking back on how I entered Noctis’ dreams the last time.

The blonde girl nodded in understanding, brushing off the skirt of her nightdress. She rose from her seat on the chaise to walk across the room to her dresser.

“Alright, we’ll try that method tonight then. Before you go, I have one more thing. It’s a gift for you, a sign of our friendship and something to remind you of the sylleblossoms here.” she told me as she looked through a small chest on her dresser.

Luna walked back triumphantly with a small pouch in hand, extending her small hand, and the pouch, out towards me.

I curiously take it from the princess, opening it and sliding a delicate gold bracelet into the palm of my hand. Dropping the pouch into my lap, I used my now free hand to examine the bracelet, flipping over the small charm that was attached. Surrounded by a thin band of gold was a star sapphire that was the size of a pea. The shade of blue reminded me of the sylleblossoms, just as Luna said.

I looked back at the princess, her face eager to hear what I thought.

“It’s beautiful, Luna… Thank you, I shall keep it with me always.” I promised the blonde, watching her face split into a grin as I slipped the bracelet onto my wrist.

“I’m glad… Now, shall we try this method of communication? You can stay here for the night if you would like.” the older girl offered, gesturing over to her bed.

I nodded in acceptance, standing from the chaise and following her over to the large bed.

* * *

 It was the day of the Lucian party’s departure, Noctis and I lingering in Luna’s room while servants began to pack up our things and put them in the cars we’d travel home in. I was dressed in a dark gray and lavender hanbok, the bracelet that Luna had gifted me secured around my wrist as our trio ate a filling breakfast.

Noctis was pushing around his food on his plate, as he was in a sour mood about leaving Tenebrae. Luna and I shared a knowing look, our silent communication something that had developed after we began sharing the princess’ dreams.

“Noctis, you need to actually eat, it’s a long journey from the manor to the closest town on the edge of Lucis. Besides, there’s nothing you don’t like on your plate, so you can’t use that excuse.” the blonde pleaded, hoping the prince would listen to her. Noctis only set his fork down beside his plate in response. Luna sighed, looking to me for help.

“Noctis, what if we do a final tour of the gardens before we meet your father in the courtyard for the send off? See the sylleblossoms one last time.” I offered, hoping the more private time he would have with the princess and I would lift his spirits a bit.

The dark haired boy nodded reluctantly in response, not saying anything.

I frowned before continuing, “If you don’t eat what’s on your plate, we head straight to your father when Luna and I are finished eating, are we clear?”

The younger boy picked up his fork to shovel some of his eggs into his mouth, pleasing Luna and I enough to not bother him any more. I ate my toast silently, savouring the ulwaat berry jam that was native to Tenebrae.

After Noctis had finished his breakfast, the three of us dressed in our coats and boots, heading out into the gardens around the manor. Luna and I picked random flowers for the younger boy to weave into a chain, the colourful flower crown finding it’s way onto the princess’ blonde head as we wove our way through the gardens.

Luna and I began slowing our pace the closer we came to the open meadow that served as a courtyard, drawing out the minutes we had left together for Noctis’ sake. My fingers brushed against the moss covered trees as we passed them, breaking through the treeline as we entered the meadow.

Noctis’ father stood beside queen Sylva, flanked by guards and nobles alike, and I could even spot Luna’s older brother Ravus among the group. Noctis laughed as the blonde princess ran, pushing his wheelchair at a faster pace than usual. From halfway across the meadow, you could see king Regis’ relieved expression at the sound of his son’s laughter blending with that of Luna’s. I grinned widely at my father, who stood on the edges of the crowd, proud to demonstrate to him that I could walk and run without needing crutches once again.

The sounds of laughter and merrymaking were suddenly drowned out by a loud noise descending from above, similar to the sounds of a war plane’s engine. Luna stopped pushing Noctis’ wheelchair as we all gazed at the sky. Large machine’s slowly creeped across the clearing, coming to a stop over the gaps in foliage. Uneasiness began to take root in my chest as the machines just sat there for a moment, nothing happening. Until hell began descending from the sky.


	11. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or Where Soo-Min's World Burned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it guys, last chapter of part one in this series. Thanks so much for being a part of this journey with me and I hope you all follow me into the next story.  
> So this chapter’s title is another Alan Menken masterpiece, from the score of the disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Very dramatic and beautiful.  
> I also had to sit through the painful opening of Kingsglaive to get the beginning of the chapter just right. There was a lot of tears.  
> I'm also open for requests on tumblr, find me @cherryblossomcheesecake.

The soldiers came first, raining down through the treetops like autumn leaves. Nobles fled in all directions, scrambling to get away from soldiers who began to charge, guns raised and firing mindlessly.

The screams of terror only increased as a soldier in large armour began to cut down any of the royal guard that stood in between him and the royal families. People were gunned down regardless of who they were, simple servants were lying dead on the ground next to the nobles they served. I could see my father racing forward, his gaze locked with mine as he fought to reach me.

The soldier leading the assault darted across the meadow at an unnatural speed, cutting down any person he passed. I clung to Noctis’ hand as he drew closer and closer to my father’s figure, screaming in terror as the sword rose above him.

I struggled against Luna’s tight grip on my shoulders, eyes wide as I watched in horror. My screams turned hoarse as Aetius’ body hit the ground, my knees giving out from under me.

The meadow was quickly set on fire, the magitek soldiers burning the people along with the courtyard. Queen Sylva stood between her son and a soldier, allowing the magitek’s flames to envelope her in order to protect her son. The soldier leading the attack made the burning queen his next target, his massive blade finding it’s way into her body, ending her life sooner than the flames would. I could hear Ravus screaming, but it was as if my ears had been filled with cotton.

Luna tried to get Noctis and I to the king and the remains of his guard, herding my shell-shocked body forward as the prince clutched my arm. King Regis was only steps away when the soldier attacked him, his sword cutting the king across his back. I could hear Noctis’ gasp, his hand tightening on my arm as we watched his father meet the soldier’s sword with his own.

The king’s armiger appeared in an explosion of crystal light, pushing back the soldier and sending him across the courtyard. Noctis released my arm, sliding himself forward in his chair, allowing his father to lift him up into his arms. A remaining member of the crownsguard scooped me up as well, neither of the older men risking my legs possibly giving out during our escape.

We fled down the path from the courtyard, heading to the cars that awaited the arrival of the king and his son. Noctis and I being carried, while Luna allowed king Regis to pull her along. From my view over the crownsguard’s shoulder, I could see the approaching soldiers of the empire, chasing after us relentlessly. I watched as Luna glanced over her shoulder before meeting my eyes, giving me an apologetic look as her blue eyes filled with tears.

I screamed as the blonde princess slipped her hand from the king’s grasp, coming to a halt as Regis and the crownsguard continued running. The king only faltered in his step for a moment, looking back at the princess before adjusting his grip on his son and running at a faster pace.

Noctis joined me in my screams for the Tenebraean princess, the dark haired boy reaching out to the blonde as the empire’s soldiers engulfed her and obscured her from sight. I fought against the grip of the crownsguard until I was dumped unceremoniously in the back of a car, Noctis crying beside me. The prince curled up into my side as he sobbed himself to sleep, the car speeding it’s way out of Tenebrae.

We didn’t stop any where until we were deep within the territories of Lucis once more, the time lost to me as I stared off in shock. Noctis had his head in my lap, sleeping fitfully. The royal company stopped at an outpost only to top off the gas tanks of the cars and mend any wounds sustained during the escape from Tenebrae.

I could only shake my head in the negative when the king’s shield asked if I was hurt, threading my fingers in Noctis’ soot-covered hair to soothe the boy’s whimpers as he dreamed.

The continuous movement of the car lulled me into a fitful slumber, my dreams plagued by the dead in Tenebrae. All those people, the queen, my father, all shouting it was my fault. Telling me that I knew this was gonna happen, and it was my fault.

This trend continued for the entire journey back to Insomnia, me staring into space during the day, and the dead haunting me at night.

My mother was there at the Citadel, waiting for us on the steps. Her thin figure was dressed entirely in white, a stark contrast to the other members of the Citadel staff, dressed in royal black. Myung-Hee’s teary eyes sought out Aetius in the group of remaining crownsguard, letting out a choked sound when his face was not among them.

The king’s shield carried me to her, allowing her to swoop me up in her thin arms, offering his condolences as I cried into the shoulder of her mourning hanbok. Myung-Hee craddled me tightly to her chest, sobbing into my hair as if we were the only ones in the courtyard.

* * *

Myung-Hee and I didn’t leave the apartment for a week before she began packing up our belongings. She packed away books and photos into boxes, shedding silent tears as she sealed away Aetius’ clothing.  Our home slowly became bare of all life, the boxes of our belongings locked away in storage lockers along with pieces of furniture and family heirlooms.

The day my mother told me to start packing up my clothes was the day she resigned from her position at the citadel.

Myung-Hee sat me down on my bed that evening, pain in her eyes as she explained what was happening.

“I’m moving us back to Goryeo, Soo… There’s too many memories here for me to raise you in Lucis. I’ve arranged passage for us to travel from Galdin Quay on a trading ship that’s leaving for Goryeo at the end of the week. His Majesty has already sent the council word of our arrival.” she told me quietly, her hair piled carelessly on top of her head as she sat on the couch in nothing but her silk robe. I stared at her silently, trying to process what she just told me.

“Soo?” Myung-Hee asked in a hushed voice, her hand reaching out to rest on mine.

“Do I get to say goodbye to Noctis?” I questioned, pulling my hand away from her grasp to pick at my sleeve.

“Oh, of course… You’ll be able to do that the day we leave for Galdin…” she replied, placing her hand back in her lap, watching me as I stood up quietly and retreated into my room.

* * *

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Noctis exclaimed in horror, sitting on the couch in his bed room.

I sat next to him, avoiding his gaze as my hands grasped the white fabric of my skirt.

“My mother is taking me out of Lucis, she wants to return to Goryeo since being here without my father hurts too much… I’ve come to say goodbye, since we leave for Galdin today.” I told the boy, my voice void of emotion.

The room was silent before the prince whispered quietly, “‘The Gods themselves would have to order me from your side if you do not do it yourself, Noctis…’ that’s what you said to me and now you’re breaking that promise?”

“I’m sorry, it’s not my choice, Noctis.” I replied, my voice slowly becoming thick with tears, “I’ll write to you when I can…”

The prince’s tear fell freely down his face as he nodded, embracing me as he cried into my shoulder.

We stayed curled up together until my mother arrived to collect me, the king having to hold his son back as I left him on the couch. Tears fell faster as the boy sobbed loudly, his blue eyes swimming with sadness. I watched Noctis cry out for me as the double doors closed behind Myung-Hee and I, hiding Noctis from sight while my mother lead me through the Citadel for the last time.

Down the steps of the citadel we went and I was guided into a crown-provided car. The citadel grew smaller by the second as the driver put more distance between us and Noctis, heading for the border gate of the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and keep an eye out in August for the sequal, "God & His Priests & His Kings"!


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